Small aircraft aircraft taxiing in area of construction hit pole with wing.

Attributes
ACN	397290
Time
Date	199803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	397290
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was taxiing west in front of row toward run-up area. After noticing several of the airplanes parked forward of the tee I was continuing my taxi slowly and carefully just slightly left of the yellow line while carefully monitoring my right wingtip to ensure adequate clearance. At the same time I was planning to maneuver around and between the 2 yellow protruding drain covers and potholes as I began my turn into the run-up area to avoid striking the propeller. Through previous experience this method of taxiing has proven to be a safe and reliable route to run-up area, by avoiding contact with parked airplanes and preventing possible propeller strikes with the drain covers or potholes. Unfortunately after checking NOTAMS, ATIS and any other notification there was no mention of construction which had begun since my previous flight. During the taxi the left wingtip struck a newly placed construction pole in an area which I had previously known to be completely clear of obstacles. Upon realizing that the aircraft struck an object I immediately shut down the engine, inspected the aircraft and briefed the operations manager on what had happened. I feel that all students and instructors should be briefed on any construction or other new hazards in our uncontrolled movement area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT TAXIING IN AREA OF CONSTRUCTION HIT POLE WITH WING.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING W IN FRONT OF ROW TOWARD RUN-UP AREA. AFTER NOTICING SEVERAL OF THE AIRPLANES PARKED FORWARD OF THE TEE I WAS CONTINUING MY TAXI SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY JUST SLIGHTLY L OF THE YELLOW LINE WHILE CAREFULLY MONITORING MY R WINGTIP TO ENSURE ADEQUATE CLRNC. AT THE SAME TIME I WAS PLANNING TO MANEUVER AROUND AND BTWN THE 2 YELLOW PROTRUDING DRAIN COVERS AND POTHOLES AS I BEGAN MY TURN INTO THE RUN-UP AREA TO AVOID STRIKING THE PROP. THROUGH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE THIS METHOD OF TAXIING HAS PROVEN TO BE A SAFE AND RELIABLE RTE TO RUN-UP AREA, BY AVOIDING CONTACT WITH PARKED AIRPLANES AND PREVENTING POSSIBLE PROP STRIKES WITH THE DRAIN COVERS OR POTHOLES. UNFORTUNATELY AFTER CHKING NOTAMS, ATIS AND ANY OTHER NOTIFICATION THERE WAS NO MENTION OF CONSTRUCTION WHICH HAD BEGUN SINCE MY PREVIOUS FLT. DURING THE TAXI THE L WINGTIP STRUCK A NEWLY PLACED CONSTRUCTION POLE IN AN AREA WHICH I HAD PREVIOUSLY KNOWN TO BE COMPLETELY CLR OF OBSTACLES. UPON REALIZING THAT THE ACFT STRUCK AN OBJECT I IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE ENG, INSPECTED THE ACFT AND BRIEFED THE OPS MGR ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I FEEL THAT ALL STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS SHOULD BE BRIEFED ON ANY CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER NEW HAZARDS IN OUR UNCTLED MOVEMENT AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.