BA32 WING STROBE STRUCK THE TIP OF ANOTHER BA32 WHILE THE FLC WAS TAXIING INTO COMPANY GATE AREA.

Narrative

ON JUN/SAT/95 AT APPROX XA50 LCL WE WERE TAXIING INBOUND TO OUR GATE XXX AT IAD. AS WE WERE BEING MARSHALLED IN BY THE LEAD RAMPER. THE CAPT AND I DETERMINED THAT WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO OTHER ACFT. WE STOPPED THE ACFT AND REQUESTED WING WALKERS FOR EACH WING. AS WE CONTINUED TO TAXI; THE CAPT ONCE AGAIN STOPPED THE ACFT AND LET THE ACFT ON THE L DEPART THE GATE AREA. ONCE AGAIN WE CONTINUED OUR TAXI. AT THIS TIME WE HAD 3 INDIVIDUAL WING WALKERS ON THE R WING; PLUS A LEAD RAMPER WHO ALL CONTINUED TO GIVE US THE GO AHEAD AND INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE THE TAXI MOVEMENT. AT THIS TIME THE R WINGTIP STROBE STRUCK THE TIP OF ANOTHER PARKED ACFT. THE PRIMARY CAUSE FOR THIS INCIDENT APPEARS TO BE INADEQUATE SPACE ON THE COMPANY GATES AT IAD. NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE 2 FT RULE BY THE RAMPERS; AND MY DECISION TO RELY ON 4 OR 5 INDIVIDUALS LOOKING AT THE 2 WINGTIPS TO MAKE A REASONABLE JUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE. THIS COULD BE PREVENTED WITH BETTER TRAINING OF RAMP PERSONNEL AND STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH THE 2 FT RULE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 307829: WHILE TAXIING UNDER RAMP PERSONNEL DIRECTION; THE WINGTIP STROBE LIGHT MADE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER J32 WINGTIP (STRUCTURE ONLY). THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE A PARKING SCHEME WHICH ALLOWS OR ATTEMPTS TO PARK TOO MANY ACFT FOR A GIVEN AREA AND COMPANY PRESSURE ON RAMP PERSONNEL AND PLTS TO MAKE DO WITH THE GIVEN PARKING SIT AND MAINTAIN FLT SCHEDULES.