Narrative:

My aircraft's wingtip struck an airport boundary fence while taxiing to the gate. The ramp was wet, the ground visibility was good. The transition from taxiway T to the gate area involves a long 180 degree turn. The gate area is not visible until the turn has been completed. During the final stage of the turn, the taxiway centerline became obscured to me by the water on the ramp combined with the flood lights to illuminate the ramp area. When this occurred, I immediately began to slow the aircraft. Simultaneously, I observed 1 of the 2 aircraft, which were currently occupying the gate area, start the right engine. This indicated to me the imminent departure of that aircraft. Not wanting to obstruct that aircraft's departure, I maneuvered my aircraft what I believed to be a short distance to the left. After initiating that maneuver, I then looked left to maintain wingtip clearance with the fence. At this time I saw that the wingtip had contacted the fence and immediately stopped the aircraft, set the parking brakes and called for assistance. The old adage 'look before you leap' applied here. Look before maneuvering the aircraft. Secondly, had I known of the other aircraft at the gate, I would not have proceeded around the corner. Holding on the taxiway would have been preferable. Thirdly, I was concentrating on how to get to the gate and not on the operation at hand. Lesson learned -- the hard way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEHAVILLAND DASH 8 FLC HAD THE L WING CONTACT A PERIMETER FENCE ON TAXI AT PVD.

Narrative: MY ACFT'S WINGTIP STRUCK AN ARPT BOUNDARY FENCE WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE. THE RAMP WAS WET, THE GND VISIBILITY WAS GOOD. THE TRANSITION FROM TXWY T TO THE GATE AREA INVOLVES A LONG 180 DEG TURN. THE GATE AREA IS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL THE TURN HAS BEEN COMPLETED. DURING THE FINAL STAGE OF THE TURN, THE TXWY CTRLINE BECAME OBSCURED TO ME BY THE WATER ON THE RAMP COMBINED WITH THE FLOOD LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE RAMP AREA. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SLOW THE ACFT. SIMULTANEOUSLY, I OBSERVED 1 OF THE 2 ACFT, WHICH WERE CURRENTLY OCCUPYING THE GATE AREA, START THE R ENG. THIS INDICATED TO ME THE IMMINENT DEP OF THAT ACFT. NOT WANTING TO OBSTRUCT THAT ACFT'S DEP, I MANEUVERED MY ACFT WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE L. AFTER INITIATING THAT MANEUVER, I THEN LOOKED L TO MAINTAIN WINGTIP CLRNC WITH THE FENCE. AT THIS TIME I SAW THAT THE WINGTIP HAD CONTACTED THE FENCE AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT, SET THE PARKING BRAKES AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. THE OLD ADAGE 'LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP' APPLIED HERE. LOOK BEFORE MANEUVERING THE ACFT. SECONDLY, HAD I KNOWN OF THE OTHER ACFT AT THE GATE, I WOULD NOT HAVE PROCEEDED AROUND THE CORNER. HOLDING ON THE TXWY WOULD HAVE BEEN PREFERABLE. THIRDLY, I WAS CONCENTRATING ON HOW TO GET TO THE GATE AND NOT ON THE OP AT HAND. LESSON LEARNED -- THE HARD WAY.

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.