Incident Overview
An airplane sustained damage after its right horizontal stabilizer struck a light pole while taxiing at Naples Airport. The aircraft had been parked by an unknown person from the Naples Airport Authority several days prior to the accident and remained in the same position until the pilot arrived to depart.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that personnel from the Naples Airport Authority were busy and could not transport passengers from the fixed base operator (FBO) to the airplane. During the preflight inspection, the pilot noted that a light pole was positioned just behind the outboard side of the right wing. After obtaining an IFR clearance and receiving taxi instructions, the pilot began to taxi without a marshaller. With a row of airplanes ahead of the aircraft's location, the pilot initiated an immediate left turn to maintain right wingtip clearance with parked airplanes. During this turn, the right horizontal stabilizer contacted the light pole.
Witness Intervention
Individuals nearby who witnessed the collision ran toward the airplane and attracted the pilot's attention, prompting the pilot to secure the airplane.
Damage Assessment
A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector examined the airplane and found damage to the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer and to the forward and aft spars of the vertical stabilizer.
Ramp Markings
Examination of the area where the airplane had been parked revealed double concentric circles painted on the ramp, centered on the light pole. The outer circle had a radius of approximately 32 feet. Radial lines extended from the base of the light pole to the inner circle line. A north/south oriented taxiway line west of the parking spot had been blacked out; no lead-out line was present from the parking spot forward to the blacked-out taxiway line.