A DC9 CREW IS NOTIFIED INFLT THAT THEIR TAIL MAY HAVE SUFFERED SOME DAMAGE FROM CONTACT WITH ANOTHER ACFT WHILE DEPARTING RAMP AT RDU; NC.
Synopsis
A DC9 CREW IS NOTIFIED INFLT THAT THEIR TAIL MAY HAVE SUFFERED SOME DAMAGE FROM CONTACT WITH ANOTHER ACFT WHILE DEPARTING RAMP AT RDU; NC.
Narrative
AFTER PUSHBACK; I FOUND MYSELF VERY CLOSE TO ANOTHER ACFT AT GATE. BEFORE TAXIING; I LOOKED TO THE L AND FOUND MYSELF CLOSE TO OTHER ACFT. I LOOKED FOR WING WALKERS TO GUIDE ME OUT OF PARKING SPOT; BUT THEY WERE ALL WALKING AWAY. I MADE A DECISION TO TAXI STRAIGHT FORWARD TO ENSURE TAIL-TO-TAIL SEPARATION (WHERE THE 2 DC9'S DID RUB PAINT); BUT DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH STRAIGHT FORWARD PRIOR TO TURNING. I SHOULD HAVE ENSURED WING WALKERS PRIOR TO TAXIING. ALSO; I'M NOT SURE THE DAMAGE WASN'T DONE ON THE PUSHBACK BY THE GND CREW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 483663: ABOUT 45 MINS INTO OUR FLT FROM RDU-MSP; OUR COMPANY SENT US AN ACARS MESSAGE INFORMING US OF POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO OUR TAIL. A FLT ATTENDANT; SITTING IN THE SEAT NEXT TO US DURING PUSHBACK; FELT A 'BUMP.' WE DIVERTED TO DTW AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT INSPECTION OF OUR JET SHOWED A BROKEN STATIC WICK ON THE L HORIZ STABILIZER AND SOME PAINT SCRAPED OFF ON THE TOP OF THE L HORIZ STABILIZER. WE FELT NO 'BUMP' IN OUR ACFT; NEITHER ON PUSHBACK NOR TAXI FROM THE GATE. THE ACFT HANDLED FINE DURING THE FLT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE GND CREW PUSHED US INTO ANOTHER JET OR IF WE SCRAPED THE TAILS ON INITIAL TAXI.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.