The student pilot reported that while taxiing to the ramp he misjudged the airplane's wing distance from the upper part of a fuel tank at the fueling station. The left wing contacted the tank and was substantially damaged. The pilot's taxi route was actually on the parking apron instead of the taxiway, which brought the airplane within close proximity to the fueling station.

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.