Incident Overview
An aircraft collided with a perimeter fence while taxiing to runway 22L for takeoff at Chicago Midway International Airport. The airplane was found parked by the hold short line for runway 22L with its right wing tip embedded in the fence. It was not on a taxiway centerline. The area was marked as a movement area.
Captain's Account
The captain reported that they had been advised of a 9-minute delay for release and maneuvered the aircraft out of the way of other departing aircraft. They proceeded to place the aircraft in a corner west of terminal C, east of the hold short line, as had been done previously. Both pilots closely monitored the final left turn with respect to aircraft proximity to the perimeter fence. Toward the end of the turn, the nose wheel skipped as if crossing wet/slick pavement. A flight attendant then informed the crew that a passenger had said the wing had struck the fence.
Damage Details
The outboard four-foot section of the right wing's leading edge slat was crushed rearward, and the slat was embedded in an I-beam channel that supported the perimeter fence panels. The I-beams were yellow, and the fence panels were gray. A leading edge wing rib was dented, cracked about 1.25 inches, and bowed. The airport perimeter fence also sustained damage.
Operator's Recommendation
The operator's safety recommendation stated that flight crews should be instructed not to enter the area. It suggested contacting Jeppesen to revise charts for MDW Airport to show the area as a "Push Back Zone" and note that aircraft should not taxi into any part of it. Several crewmembers interviewed agreed that a chart notice was not necessary but might alert crews that it is a tight area not suitable as an alternate holding area. They believed that crews should not move off marked taxi lines under any circumstance and that good aviation practices would prevent such events.