A student in a C172 taxied into a light pole on the parking ramp at gdw.

Attributes
ACN	436026
Time
Date	199904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gdw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ebbr.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 51 flight time type : 49
ASRS Report	436026
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I taxied to the ramp/parking area. I had chosen a spot to park the airplane, but was being signaled to park it elsewhere by who I thought was a line crew member. While following his signals and directions, I proceeded with caution and began to make a right turn to park the airplane. During this slow turn the leading edge of the left wing hit a light pole. I immediately shut the engine off and got out of the airplane. In looking at the damaged wing, the line crew member who was directing me said that it wasn't damaged that bad and it didn't affect the structural integrity of the airplane. After about 1 hour, I flew the airplane back to my home base, battle creek. After having more time to think about this incident, I know that I shouldn't have flown the airplane home, as well as I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings at this unfamiliar airport than I was to the line crew member. I did call my instructor but was unable to get a hold of him and proceeded without consulting him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT IN A C172 TAXIED INTO A LIGHT POLE ON THE PARKING RAMP AT GDW.

Narrative: I TAXIED TO THE RAMP/PARKING AREA. I HAD CHOSEN A SPOT TO PARK THE AIRPLANE, BUT WAS BEING SIGNALED TO PARK IT ELSEWHERE BY WHO I THOUGHT WAS A LINE CREW MEMBER. WHILE FOLLOWING HIS SIGNALS AND DIRECTIONS, I PROCEEDED WITH CAUTION AND BEGAN TO MAKE A R TURN TO PARK THE AIRPLANE. DURING THIS SLOW TURN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE L WING HIT A LIGHT POLE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENG OFF AND GOT OUT OF THE AIRPLANE. IN LOOKING AT THE DAMAGED WING, THE LINE CREW MEMBER WHO WAS DIRECTING ME SAID THAT IT WASN'T DAMAGED THAT BAD AND IT DIDN'T AFFECT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE AIRPLANE. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR, I FLEW THE AIRPLANE BACK TO MY HOME BASE, BATTLE CREEK. AFTER HAVING MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, I KNOW THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE FLOWN THE AIRPLANE HOME, AS WELL AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING MORE ATTN TO MY SURROUNDINGS AT THIS UNFAMILIAR ARPT THAN I WAS TO THE LINE CREW MEMBER. I DID CALL MY INSTRUCTOR BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET A HOLD OF HIM AND PROCEEDED WITHOUT CONSULTING HIM.

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.