ACR MLG WINGTIP STRIKES PAX STAIRS WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE.

Narrative

ENRTE TO BTR THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE TAXI-IN PROC AT BTR. WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF TAXIING N FROM THE ROLLOUT END OF 22R INTO THE RAMP AREA. THERE WERE NO NOTAMS OR NOTES ON THE CHARTS INDICATING THAT THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE RTE; BUT WE DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD ASK GND CTL AFTER LNDG IF THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE RTE TO THE GATE. AFTER LNDG; WE ASKED GND CTL IF IT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO GO STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO THE RAMP AREA AND THEY REPLIED 'THAT WILL BE OK' OR 'THAT WILL BE FINE' OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT. WE THEN PROCEEDED STRAIGHT AHEAD TOWARD OUR GATE. HOWEVER; AS WE APCHED THE WIDE AREA OF THE RAMP; WE SAW AN AIRPLANE PARKED CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE TXWY SO AS TO PROVIDE MINIMAL CLRNC BTWN IT AND A PORTABLE STAIRWAY PARKED BESIDE THE HANGAR. THE CAPT SLOWED THE ACFT TO A VERY SLOW TAXI SPD AS WE ASSESSED THE SIT. IT APPEARED THAT WE HAD ADEQUATE CLRNC IF WE STAYED ON THE TAXI LINE. WE CONSIDERED GOING AROUND THE PARKED ACFT; HOWEVER; THERE WERE NO LINES AND THE AREA WAS POORLY LIT. WE DECIDED TO PROCEED ALONG THE PAINTED TAXI LINE. THE CLOSER WE CAME; THE TIGHTER IT APPEARED; AND THE CAPT ACTUALLY DEVIATED TO THE R OF THE TAXI LINE TO AVOID THE STAIRS. HE HESITATED TO MOVE FURTHER R FOR FEAR OF STRIKING THE ACFT. AFTER PARKING THE ACFT; WE INSPECTED THE L WINGTIP AND FOUND A SCRATCH APPROX 10 INCHES LONG BEHIND THE NAV LIGHT; AND A HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PENCIL ERASER; AND A BROKEN STATIC WICK. MAINT REPAIRED THE BROKEN STATIC WICK; MADE A TEMPORARY REPAIR TO THE HOLE WITH SPD TAPE AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC. THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT SHOULD BE SO EASY TO AVOID. GND CTL SHOULD BE OUR FRIEND. WE MAY HAVE 'LEGALLY' BEEN ALLOWED TO TAXI ACROSS THAT PORTION OF THE RAMP; BUT GND CTL SHOULD HAVE DISCOURAGED US FROM DOING SO. THERE WAS ONLY ONE OTHER ACFT ON THE GND AT THAT TIME -- IT'S NOT AS IF THEY WERE SO BUSY THAT THEY COULDN'T OFFER ADVICE. BTR SHOULD CHANGE ARPT PROCS AND NOT ALLOW COMMERCIAL AVIATION TO TAXI ON THAT PART OF THE RAMP. THEIR TAXI LINES DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE CLRNC FOR OUR ACFT AND THE AREA DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT LIGHT. A NOTE SHOULD BE PLACED ON CHARTS INDICATING THE PROPER TAXI RTE TO THE GATE WHEN LNDG 22R.