Narrative:

During pushback from den gate B noticed mechanic had us 25-30 ft right of centerline. I asked him if this was ok, and he stated 'it's ok, I got it.' another B757 pushed right after us. Gate C aircraft was on centerline. I again asked mechanic about aircraft pushing at gate C and lack of clearance space. Mechanic said the other tow driver (mechanic) was aware of our deviation from centerline. Additional B757 was on centerline during push at a. I told first officer to watch clearance of aircraft to our right. Unable to see entire right wing of our B757 from flight deck. Aircraft at our right at gate C contacted my right leading edge slat with puncture from left trailing edge static wick. Slight gouge on lower left aileron of my aircraft. Maintenance/ramp/zone control notified. Both aircraft towed back to gates at den. My aircraft was removed from service, other repaired and left den. Contacted dispatch, company operations, duty flight manager, union safety/legal. Discussed incident, cleared to continue per my chief pilot, duty flight manager and union legal. Received 2ND aircraft for swap of passenger/bags/cargo. Departed 3 hours late from den to bwi. Rest of flight normal. Questions? Why did mechanic feel need to deviate from SOP and take us off painted pushback line? Why was ramp tower or adjacent aircraft not notified of change? Supplemental information from acn 486410: lack of communication by ground personnel with each other or deviation from pushback procedure by our tug driver on his own seemed to cause incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200, PUSHED BACK 25 FT OFF TO THE R OF THE LEAD-IN LINE, IS STRUCK ON THE R WING LEADING EDGE BY ANOTHER B757 PUSHING BACK ON THE R AT DEN, CO.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK FROM DEN GATE B NOTICED MECH HAD US 25-30 FT R OF CTRLINE. I ASKED HIM IF THIS WAS OK, AND HE STATED 'IT'S OK, I GOT IT.' ANOTHER B757 PUSHED RIGHT AFTER US. GATE C ACFT WAS ON CTRLINE. I AGAIN ASKED MECH ABOUT ACFT PUSHING AT GATE C AND LACK OF CLRNC SPACE. MECH SAID THE OTHER TOW DRIVER (MECH) WAS AWARE OF OUR DEV FROM CTRLINE. ADDITIONAL B757 WAS ON CTRLINE DURING PUSH AT A. I TOLD FO TO WATCH CLRNC OF ACFT TO OUR R. UNABLE TO SEE ENTIRE R WING OF OUR B757 FROM FLT DECK. ACFT AT OUR R AT GATE C CONTACTED MY R LEADING EDGE SLAT WITH PUNCTURE FROM L TRAILING EDGE STATIC WICK. SLIGHT GOUGE ON LOWER L AILERON OF MY ACFT. MAINT/RAMP/ZONE CTL NOTIFIED. BOTH ACFT TOWED BACK TO GATES AT DEN. MY ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC, OTHER REPAIRED AND LEFT DEN. CONTACTED DISPATCH, COMPANY OPS, DUTY FLT MGR, UNION SAFETY/LEGAL. DISCUSSED INCIDENT, CLRED TO CONTINUE PER MY CHIEF PLT, DUTY FLT MGR AND UNION LEGAL. RECEIVED 2ND ACFT FOR SWAP OF PAX/BAGS/CARGO. DEPARTED 3 HRS LATE FROM DEN TO BWI. REST OF FLT NORMAL. QUESTIONS? WHY DID MECH FEEL NEED TO DEVIATE FROM SOP AND TAKE US OFF PAINTED PUSHBACK LINE? WHY WAS RAMP TWR OR ADJACENT ACFT NOT NOTIFIED OF CHANGE? SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 486410: LACK OF COM BY GND PERSONNEL WITH EACH OTHER OR DEV FROM PUSHBACK PROC BY OUR TUG DRIVER ON HIS OWN SEEMED TO CAUSE INCIDENT.

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.