A DEHAVILLAND DASH 8 FLC HAD THE L WING CONTACT A PERIMETER FENCE ON TAXI AT PVD.

Narrative

MY ACFT'S WINGTIP STRUCK AN ARPT BOUNDARY FENCE WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE. THE RAMP WAS WET; THE GND VISIBILITY WAS GOOD. THE TRANSITION FROM TXWY T TO THE GATE AREA INVOLVES A LONG 180 DEG TURN. THE GATE AREA IS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL THE TURN HAS BEEN COMPLETED. DURING THE FINAL STAGE OF THE TURN; THE TXWY CTRLINE BECAME OBSCURED TO ME BY THE WATER ON THE RAMP COMBINED WITH THE FLOOD LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE RAMP AREA. WHEN THIS OCCURRED; I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SLOW THE ACFT. SIMULTANEOUSLY; I OBSERVED 1 OF THE 2 ACFT; WHICH WERE CURRENTLY OCCUPYING THE GATE AREA; START THE R ENG. THIS INDICATED TO ME THE IMMINENT DEP OF THAT ACFT. NOT WANTING TO OBSTRUCT THAT ACFT'S DEP; I MANEUVERED MY ACFT WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE L. AFTER INITIATING THAT MANEUVER; I THEN LOOKED L TO MAINTAIN WINGTIP CLRNC WITH THE FENCE. AT THIS TIME I SAW THAT THE WINGTIP HAD CONTACTED THE FENCE AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT; SET THE PARKING BRAKES AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. THE OLD ADAGE 'LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP' APPLIED HERE. LOOK BEFORE MANEUVERING THE ACFT. SECONDLY; HAD I KNOWN OF THE OTHER ACFT AT THE GATE; I WOULD NOT HAVE PROCEEDED AROUND THE CORNER. HOLDING ON THE TXWY WOULD HAVE BEEN PREFERABLE. THIRDLY; I WAS CONCENTRATING ON HOW TO GET TO THE GATE AND NOT ON THE OP AT HAND. LESSON LEARNED -- THE HARD WAY.