Narrative:

Flight XXX; ind-den; we pushed back from gate X; started engines. Another aircraft from the opposite concourse pushed to the top of the alley. We were cleared to taxi past them on the right to runway 23R. My first officer cleared the right side and I was watching the left. My attention was focused on the right wingtip of the other aircraft because from the angle it appeared to be the part closest to me as we passed. I continued taxiing past the other aircraft. I watched as the wingtips cleared. As we approached the taxiway for runway 23R; the flight attendant called and said a passenger told her we clipped wingtips with the other aircraft. I could not believe this happened because I watched the wingtips pass clear of each other. My first officer called operations to see if anyone reported this and we got a place to park while we sorted this thing out. We asked to return to the gate and have maintenance meet us. After returning to the gate; I was informed that it did appear as though we made contact with the other aircraft and I noticed minor scratches on the left wingtip fence on the outer side. I was then told that it appeared the contact was made to the right rear corner of the horizontal stabilizer. I do not know how my wingtip clipped that portion of the other aircraft when from the angle we passed him at it appeared the wingtip was sticking out farther than any other part of aircraft. We never felt or heard anything and from the reports I listened to and was given; the crew of the other aircraft felt nothing also. The other aircraft was stopped when we began to taxi; and as we passed I noticed the tug and tow bar were still connected to the other aircraft. I believe there is a possibility that the other aircraft could have moved as we passed because at the time I had no doubt in my mind that we were going to clear that aircraft and the contact was so light neither crew felt it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319'S WINGTIP FENCE CONTACTED AN EMB'S HORIZ STABILIZER AS THE ACFT EXITED CONCOURSE AREAS TAXIING TO THE RWY.

Narrative: FLT XXX; IND-DEN; WE PUSHED BACK FROM GATE X; STARTED ENGS. ANOTHER ACFT FROM THE OPPOSITE CONCOURSE PUSHED TO THE TOP OF THE ALLEY. WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI PAST THEM ON THE R TO RWY 23R. MY FO CLRED THE R SIDE AND I WAS WATCHING THE L. MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED ON THE R WINGTIP OF THE OTHER ACFT BECAUSE FROM THE ANGLE IT APPEARED TO BE THE PART CLOSEST TO ME AS WE PASSED. I CONTINUED TAXIING PAST THE OTHER ACFT. I WATCHED AS THE WINGTIPS CLRED. AS WE APCHED THE TXWY FOR RWY 23R; THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID A PAX TOLD HER WE CLIPPED WINGTIPS WITH THE OTHER ACFT. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I WATCHED THE WINGTIPS PASS CLR OF EACH OTHER. MY FO CALLED OPS TO SEE IF ANYONE RPTED THIS AND WE GOT A PLACE TO PARK WHILE WE SORTED THIS THING OUT. WE ASKED TO RETURN TO THE GATE AND HAVE MAINT MEET US. AFTER RETURNING TO THE GATE; I WAS INFORMED THAT IT DID APPEAR AS THOUGH WE MADE CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT AND I NOTICED MINOR SCRATCHES ON THE L WINGTIP FENCE ON THE OUTER SIDE. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT IT APPEARED THE CONTACT WAS MADE TO THE R REAR CORNER OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MY WINGTIP CLIPPED THAT PORTION OF THE OTHER ACFT WHEN FROM THE ANGLE WE PASSED HIM AT IT APPEARED THE WINGTIP WAS STICKING OUT FARTHER THAN ANY OTHER PART OF ACFT. WE NEVER FELT OR HEARD ANYTHING AND FROM THE RPTS I LISTENED TO AND WAS GIVEN; THE CREW OF THE OTHER ACFT FELT NOTHING ALSO. THE OTHER ACFT WAS STOPPED WHEN WE BEGAN TO TAXI; AND AS WE PASSED I NOTICED THE TUG AND TOW BAR WERE STILL CONNECTED TO THE OTHER ACFT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OTHER ACFT COULD HAVE MOVED AS WE PASSED BECAUSE AT THE TIME I HAD NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE WERE GOING TO CLR THAT ACFT AND THE CONTACT WAS SO LIGHT NEITHER CREW FELT IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.