MD88 SIDESTEPPING TO RWY 08L HAD THE L WING DROP TOO LOW AND SCRAPED IT ON THE RWY JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. RWY WAS CLOSED FOR 30 MINS TO CLEAN UP DEBRIS.

Narrative

AN MD88 OFFERED TO SIDESTEP TO THE PARALLEL RWY IN ORDER TO PREVENT A GAR DUE TO TFC ON THE RWY. I APPROVED THE OP AND CLRED THE ACFT TO LAND. IN MANEUVERING TO THE PARALLEL AND LAND; THE ACFT SCRAPED THE L WINGTIP; CREATING A LARGE SPARK PLUME. NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE ACFT; BUT THE RWY WAS CLOSED FOR 30 MINS FOR DEBRIS REMOVAL. THERE WAS A QUARTERING TAILWIND (RWY 08L; WIND 230 DEGS AT 7 KTS). THOUGH THE PLT'S 'CAN DO' ATTITUDE IS TO BE COMMENDED; SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO LET THE CTLR MAKE THE CALL RATHER THAN MAKE A BAD SIT (GAR) BECOME A WORSE ONE (DAMAGED ACFT; CLOSED RWY; ETC). SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 319532: PREVIOUS MD88 WAS UNABLE TO CLR THE RWY AT NORMAL POINT. CAPT REQUESTED TRANSITION TO RWY 08L FROM TWR. I INITIATED SIDESTEP MANEUVER FOR RWY 08L. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN I FELT THE R WINGTIP RISE DUE EITHER TO WIND GUST; WINGTIP VORTICE OR CONFUSION ON CTLS DUE TO THE CAPT 'COMING ON THE CTLS' AS WELL. THIS MOMENTARY L WING DIP RESULTED IN WINGTIP CONTACT WITH RWY AND MINOR DAMAGE THEREOF.