Narrative:

I was taxiing aircraft toward runway for departure. I was stopped short of the roadway between txwys to allow emergency vehicles to pass. While stopped with the brakes set; our aircraft experienced a noticeable shudder and banging in the tail section. First officer commented that he thought the rj in front caused it from its jet blast; but I said; 'that wasn't a jet blast.' we both then looked to the right and noticed a company A320 taxi by. First officer immediately said; 'I think he hit us.' just then the flight interphone chimed and the first officer spoke with one of the flight attendants in the back of the plane. She advised that they both heard and felt the banging and vibrations in the tail. During their conversation I continued the taxi on to taxiway T where I stopped the aircraft to consult with my first officer. I asked the ground controller what was the aircraft that taxied past us. He said it was a company A320. I then told ground that I believed that aircraft might have hit our tail because I felt a vibration and shudder I have never experienced. The controller then asked company plane if he had heard what we said; and he responded that he did not hit us and had room to go by. First officer and I decided to call the company for a gate because we wanted to have maintenance inspect our tail to be sure. I advised ground control of our intention to go back to the gate and have the inspection performed. Upon visual inspection it was observed that the other plane did come in contact with the underside of our right elevator and right stabilizer; causing damage that ran from the trailing edge to the leading edge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300'S R HORIZ STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR WERE DAMAGED BY AN A320 AS IT TAXIED BY THE STATIONARY B737.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING ACFT TOWARD RWY FOR DEP. I WAS STOPPED SHORT OF THE ROADWAY BTWN TXWYS TO ALLOW EMER VEHICLES TO PASS. WHILE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKES SET; OUR ACFT EXPERIENCED A NOTICEABLE SHUDDER AND BANGING IN THE TAIL SECTION. FO COMMENTED THAT HE THOUGHT THE RJ IN FRONT CAUSED IT FROM ITS JET BLAST; BUT I SAID; 'THAT WASN'T A JET BLAST.' WE BOTH THEN LOOKED TO THE R AND NOTICED A COMPANY A320 TAXI BY. FO IMMEDIATELY SAID; 'I THINK HE HIT US.' JUST THEN THE FLT INTERPHONE CHIMED AND THE FO SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE. SHE ADVISED THAT THEY BOTH HEARD AND FELT THE BANGING AND VIBRATIONS IN THE TAIL. DURING THEIR CONVERSATION I CONTINUED THE TAXI ON TO TXWY T WHERE I STOPPED THE ACFT TO CONSULT WITH MY FO. I ASKED THE GND CTLR WHAT WAS THE ACFT THAT TAXIED PAST US. HE SAID IT WAS A COMPANY A320. I THEN TOLD GND THAT I BELIEVED THAT ACFT MIGHT HAVE HIT OUR TAIL BECAUSE I FELT A VIBRATION AND SHUDDER I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED. THE CTLR THEN ASKED COMPANY PLANE IF HE HAD HEARD WHAT WE SAID; AND HE RESPONDED THAT HE DID NOT HIT US AND HAD ROOM TO GO BY. FO AND I DECIDED TO CALL THE COMPANY FOR A GATE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO HAVE MAINT INSPECT OUR TAIL TO BE SURE. I ADVISED GND CTL OF OUR INTENTION TO GO BACK TO THE GATE AND HAVE THE INSPECTION PERFORMED. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE OTHER PLANE DID COME IN CONTACT WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF OUR R ELEVATOR AND R STABILIZER; CAUSING DAMAGE THAT RAN FROM THE TRAILING EDGE TO THE LEADING EDGE.

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.