A BEECH 350 BEING GUIDED INTO A PARKING AREA BTWN A B757 AND A WESTWIND. THE BEECH 350 STRUCK THE WESTWIND INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE R HORIZ STABILIZER TIP.

Date: 2001-12 · Aircraft: Super King Air 300 · Phase: ground

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|ground-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

A BEECH 350 BEING GUIDED INTO A PARKING AREA BTWN A B757 AND A WESTWIND. THE BEECH 350 STRUCK THE WESTWIND INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE R HORIZ STABILIZER TIP.

Narrative

WE ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH AN FBO MARSHALL WHO WAS 1 OF 3 WOMEN STANDING TOGETHER. SHE DIRECTED US TO TAXI BTWN 2 ACFT (A B757 ON THE L; AND A WESTWIND ON THE R). THE CAPT AND I BOTH COMMENTED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE AN AWFULLY TIGHT FIT. AS WE CONTINUED FORWARD; WE STOPPED PRIOR TO PASSING BY THE ACFT ON BOTH SIDES OF US BECAUSE AGAIN; IT LOOKED TIGHT. THE CAPT ASKED IF THE R WING WAS CLR; AND COMMENTED THAT THE L WING WOULD BE OK. I LOOKED AT THE MARSHALL; SHE GAVE ME A 'THUMBS UP' AND MOTIONED HER RAISED ARMS IN A FORWARD MOTION. AS WE MOVED FORWARD; I LOOKED AT THE L SIDE; AND AS I LOOKED BACK TO THE R; I SAW THE WINGLET OF OUR R WING START TO GO UNDER THE HORIZ STABILIZER OF THE WESTWIND. I CALLED FOR THE CAPT TO STOP IMMEDIATELY; AND WHEN HE HIT THE BRAKES; THE ACFT SLID ANOTHER 6-8 INCHES ON THE ICE AND SNOW COVERED RAMP. WE LEFT THE ACFT IN PLACE; AND IT WAS LATER BACKED AWAY FROM THE WESTWIND WITH A TUG; AFTER THE WESTWIND WAS JACKED UP USING HYD LIFTS. ONE OF THE PRIMARY FACTORS LEADING TO THIS SIT WAS OUR TRUST IN THE MARSHALL'S INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE FORWARD; BELIEVING WE WERE CLR OF THE OTHER ACFT. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE SNOW AND ICE COVERED RAMP; WHICH CAUSED THE ACFT TO SLIDE AFTER BRAKING ACTION WAS APPLIED. A THIRD AND IMPORTANT FACTOR WAS THE DECISION OF THE CAPT AND MYSELF TO CONTINUE TAXIING INTO A SIT WE WERE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO A CREASE IN THE BEECH 350 R HORIZ STABILIZER TIP AND NO DAMAGE TO THE WESTWIND OR THE B757. THE RPTR SAID THE BEECH TIP WAS REPLACED THAT DAY AND RETURNED TO SVC.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.