ACR TAXIING FROM RAMP HAS TAIL HIT LIGHT POLE. ACFT DAMAGED. POLE DESTROYED.

Narrative

UPON CLRNC FROM GND CTL AND BRAKE RELEASE; WE PUSHED BACK FROM GATE WITH THE TAIL POINTED NE TOWARD THE STREET BLAST WALL. GATE IS THE MOST ADJACENT GATE TO THIS CONCRETE WALL. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL PUSHBACK; BRAKES WERE SET AND NORMAL DISCONNECT PROCS EXECUTED; AND ALL GND CREW RETURNED TO THE GATE EXCEPT 1 TAXI DIRECTOR. BRAKES WERE RELEASED AND A SHALLOW R HAND TURN OUT PROCEEDED TOWARD THE RAMP PAD AND RWY 23R HOLDING POINT. AFTER TAXIING A FEW HUNDRED FT TO RWY 23R A MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED THAT THE ACFT TAIL STRUCTURE HAD STRUCK AND FELLED A LIGHT POLE ADJACENT TO THE FENCE. AFTER TAXI BACK TO THE GATE AN INSPECTION SHOWED THE L HAND HORIZ STABILIZER OUTBOARD CAP HAD BEEN DAMAGED. THE LIGHT POLE HAD SNAPPED EASILY DUE TO ITS THIN WALL TUBE DESIGN; COLD OUTSIDE AIR TEMP (APPROX 16 DEGS F); AND HT OF IMPACT ABOVE ITS BASE. OTHER POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED THE FACT THAT THE COMPANY WAS IN TRANSITION WITH LGTS FROM TYPE A TO TYPE B WHICH ARE APPROX 20 FT LONGER. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO MONITOR THE TAIL CLRNC DURING TAXI OUT; THIS INCIDENT WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IN ALL PROBABILITY.