Flight crew strike wingtip of parked A320 while taxiing by a fully occupied parking ramp at buf.

Attributes
ACN	603285
Time
Date	200312
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	603285
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airport
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

Upon taxi to the ramp at buffalo, ny, we attempted to enter ramp at east end of taxiway P. We stopped at the corner of taxiway P and ramp. The ramp was full and we could not enter the east end. We turned on taxiway P to proceed to 'P2' to enter ramp. An airbus was parked at the corner of taxiway P and ramp. I advised the first officer to make sure we clear the airbus as it was on her side. We would stop if we could not clear. We proceeded very slowly, however, when she said stop, our right wingtip struck at 1/2 inch APU inlet door fairing. About 2 inches of plastic fairing was broken. It was dark and we checked both aircraft for damage and did not see any. We checked again in daylight and discovered the damage. No NOTAMS were issued by buffalo airport to restrict wingspan on taxiway P. (Human factors) if any question on wingtip clearance captain or first officer needs to stop taxi. We need to brief on this before entering close quarters. Other airports issue NOTAMS if a taxiway is restr due to wingspan. I talked to buffalo airport authority/authorized and they refused to issue a NOTAM to restr wingspan on taxiway P.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW STRIKE WINGTIP OF PARKED A320 WHILE TAXIING BY A FULLY OCCUPIED PARKING RAMP AT BUF.

Narrative: UPON TAXI TO THE RAMP AT BUFFALO, NY, WE ATTEMPTED TO ENTER RAMP AT E END OF TXWY P. WE STOPPED AT THE CORNER OF TXWY P AND RAMP. THE RAMP WAS FULL AND WE COULD NOT ENTER THE E END. WE TURNED ON TXWY P TO PROCEED TO 'P2' TO ENTER RAMP. AN AIRBUS WAS PARKED AT THE CORNER OF TXWY P AND RAMP. I ADVISED THE FO TO MAKE SURE WE CLR THE AIRBUS AS IT WAS ON HER SIDE. WE WOULD STOP IF WE COULD NOT CLR. WE PROCEEDED VERY SLOWLY, HOWEVER, WHEN SHE SAID STOP, OUR R WINGTIP STRUCK AT 1/2 INCH APU INLET DOOR FAIRING. ABOUT 2 INCHES OF PLASTIC FAIRING WAS BROKEN. IT WAS DARK AND WE CHKED BOTH ACFT FOR DAMAGE AND DID NOT SEE ANY. WE CHKED AGAIN IN DAYLIGHT AND DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE. NO NOTAMS WERE ISSUED BY BUFFALO ARPT TO RESTRICT WINGSPAN ON TXWY P. (HUMAN FACTORS) IF ANY QUESTION ON WINGTIP CLRNC CAPT OR FO NEEDS TO STOP TAXI. WE NEED TO BRIEF ON THIS BEFORE ENTERING CLOSE QUARTERS. OTHER ARPTS ISSUE NOTAMS IF A TXWY IS RESTR DUE TO WINGSPAN. I TALKED TO BUFFALO ARPT AUTH AND THEY REFUSED TO ISSUE A NOTAM TO RESTR WINGSPAN ON TXWY P.

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.