B737-700 winglet strikes tail of B737-300 on taxi from gate at san.

Attributes
ACN	721941
Time
Date	200612
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : san.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	721941
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We pushed off the gate. Just before taxi; a company B-300 started pushing from a nearby gate. I called for and received taxi clearance. The company aircraft stopped their pushback. We slowly taxied behind and to the right of the company aircraft with what appeared to be adequate wingtip clearance. The left wing winglet of our aircraft contacted the right horizontal stabilizer of the other aircraft. Since a clear taxi path required a departure from the taxi line to the right; most of my attention was spent clearing the right wingtip. I should have recommended that we just stop; wait; and follow the company aircraft to the runway. Strict adherence to taxi lines except to prevent an incident/accident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 WINGLET STRIKES TAIL OF B737-300 ON TAXI FROM GATE AT SAN.

Narrative: WE PUSHED OFF THE GATE. JUST BEFORE TAXI; A COMPANY B-300 STARTED PUSHING FROM A NEARBY GATE. I CALLED FOR AND RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC. THE COMPANY ACFT STOPPED THEIR PUSHBACK. WE SLOWLY TAXIED BEHIND AND TO THE R OF THE COMPANY ACFT WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE ADEQUATE WINGTIP CLRNC. THE L WING WINGLET OF OUR ACFT CONTACTED THE R HORIZ STABILIZER OF THE OTHER ACFT. SINCE A CLR TAXI PATH REQUIRED A DEP FROM THE TAXI LINE TO THE R; MOST OF MY ATTN WAS SPENT CLRING THE R WINGTIP. I SHOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT WE JUST STOP; WAIT; AND FOLLOW THE COMPANY ACFT TO THE RWY. STRICT ADHERENCE TO TAXI LINES EXCEPT TO PREVENT AN INCIDENT/ACCIDENT.

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.