An EMB120 struck a light post while taxiing.

Attributes
ACN	707914
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	707914
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1150 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	707915
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was called to come in 45 mins early in the hangar; to conduct a test flight on aircraft; which had been written up for a braking and steering problem during landing; and was grounded as result. I preflted the aircraft; the sic and I completed all the required checks and checklists. I started up the engines. After completing all the required checks and the 'after start' checklist; and after clearing the visual surroundings; I released the parking brake with the intention to taxi out of the hangar area. I taxied a few ft straight ahead; when we felt a resistance. I stopped immediately and set the parking brake; then called dispatch to notify them that we were unable to taxi and to send a mechanic to the aircraft. We assumed there was still a problem with the steering and the brakes. Shortly after; a mechanic came out of the hangar and noticed what had happened; while I shut down both engines. It appears that during taxi the aircraft hit a light post and damaged the right side of the elevator and the right edge of the horizontal stabilizer. The right side of the elevator was bent. The aircraft had been parked by maintenance with the edge of the tail a few ft behind the light post and it was not visible that the light post would collide with the tail of the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB120 STRUCK A LIGHT POST WHILE TAXIING.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED TO COME IN 45 MINS EARLY IN THE HANGAR; TO CONDUCT A TEST FLT ON ACFT; WHICH HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP FOR A BRAKING AND STEERING PROB DURING LNDG; AND WAS GNDED AS RESULT. I PREFLTED THE ACFT; THE SIC AND I COMPLETED ALL THE REQUIRED CHKS AND CHKLISTS. I STARTED UP THE ENGS. AFTER COMPLETING ALL THE REQUIRED CHKS AND THE 'AFTER START' CHKLIST; AND AFTER CLRING THE VISUAL SURROUNDINGS; I RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE WITH THE INTENTION TO TAXI OUT OF THE HANGAR AREA. I TAXIED A FEW FT STRAIGHT AHEAD; WHEN WE FELT A RESISTANCE. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE; THEN CALLED DISPATCH TO NOTIFY THEM THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO TAXI AND TO SEND A MECH TO THE ACFT. WE ASSUMED THERE WAS STILL A PROB WITH THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES. SHORTLY AFTER; A MECH CAME OUT OF THE HANGAR AND NOTICED WHAT HAD HAPPENED; WHILE I SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGS. IT APPEARS THAT DURING TAXI THE ACFT HIT A LIGHT POST AND DAMAGED THE R SIDE OF THE ELEVATOR AND THE R EDGE OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER. THE R SIDE OF THE ELEVATOR WAS BENT. THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED BY MAINT WITH THE EDGE OF THE TAIL A FEW FT BEHIND THE LIGHT POST AND IT WAS NOT VISIBLE THAT THE LIGHT POST WOULD COLLIDE WITH THE TAIL OF THE ACFT.

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.