Flight instructor with student pilot reported hitting a parked aircraft while taxiing to the RAL parking area. The route to parking was narrow to navigate through due to the presence of a vehicle on the right side and another aircraft on the left side.
Synopsis
Flight instructor with student pilot reported hitting a parked aircraft while taxiing to the RAL parking area. The route to parking was narrow to navigate through due to the presence of a vehicle on the right side and another aircraft on the left side.
Narrative
Postflight; the student taxied the aircraft into the parking area. The student picked a spot to park the aircraft. Student chose a route to that spot that was very narrow to navigate through. This route has been used numerous times by multiple pilots. This student had done this same route prior to this event without any problems. At the time of this event there was a vehicle to the right and Aircraft Y parked to the left. As we got close to the tight spot; I advised the student to slow his taxi speed. I looked to the left for proper clearance and then looked to the right to check the clearance while repeating a command to slow down. As I looked back to the left; the left wingtip made contact with the parked aircraft.The airport should not allow vehicle parking spaces in such close proximity to areas where there are taxiing aircraft. Airport management needs to be more open to the needs and safety of aircraft operating in tight spaces and provide boundary lines and centerline markings in this area!
Second reporter narrative
Just finished up flight and taxied back to parking at Riverside Airport. A vehicle was parked to the right and Aircraft Y was parked on the left. The space between the two was very tight. I was looking to the right making sure I was clear of the vehicle and I thought the instructor was looking to the left; but instructor was also looking to the right. The wing tip hit the other aircraft. Impact occurred at 1 - 2 mph; as I was riding the brakes. I should have been looking back and forth between both directions instead of mainly focusing on the vehicle.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.