AN MD80S FO RPTED THAT THE CAPT OF AN ACFT HE OBSERVED WHILE PREFLTING HIS ACFT AT ANOTHER GATE AT BNA; CAME PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO HITTING BAGGAGE CARTS AFTER BEING RELEASED BY THE MARSHALLER.

2003-10 · NASA ASRS report 598329

Date: 2003-10 · Aircraft: MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: ground

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

AN MD80S FO RPTED THAT THE CAPT OF AN ACFT HE OBSERVED WHILE PREFLTING HIS ACFT AT ANOTHER GATE AT BNA; CAME PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO HITTING BAGGAGE CARTS AFTER BEING RELEASED BY THE MARSHALLER.

Narrative

I WAS ON THE RAMP AT BNA; PERFORMING WALKAROUND. BAGGAGE CARTS WERE PARKED ON THE MARKED SVC ROAD AT THE TAIL OF MY ACFT. THE MD80 AT THE ADJOINING GATE COMPLETED PUSH; GND CREW DEPARTED; AND THE ACFT BEGAN TAXI WITH A HARD L TURN TO JOIN THE TXWY. THE TURN WAS COMPLETED PREMATURELY AND IT LOOKED TO ME THAT THE RESULTING WINGTIP ARC MIGHT NOT CLR THE BAG CARTS. I STEPPED OUT ONTO THE ROAD; ABOUT 45 DEGS FROM L COCKPIT WINDOW; ATTEMPTING TO ESTABLISH EYE CONTACT; INTENDING TO SERVE AS A WING WALKER; BUT CAPT WAS LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD. AS THE ACFT ANGLED OVER TO JOIN THE TXWY; THE L WINGTIP CLRED THE CARTS BY ABOUT 3 FT. THE ACFT WAS ACCELERATING TO A NORMAL TAXI SPD. IT WAS OBVIOUS THE CAPT NEVER REALIZED HOW CLOSE THE WINGTIP WAS TO THE CARTS. THE WINGTIP MISSED THE CARTS BY SHEER HAPPENSTANCE; NOT BY DESIGN. I WOULD LIKE THE CAPT TO BE MADE AWARE OF MY OBSERVATIONS. IT MIGHT SAVE HIM AN EMBARRASSING INCIDENT IN THE FUTURE. ALSO; I THINK ALL OUR PLTS SHOULD BE REMINDED OF THE GND ENVELOPE OF THE AIRPLANE TO MINIMIZE ACR'S EXPOSURE TO EXPENSIVE GND DAMAGE. WITH THE LONG FUSELAGE; THE MD80 IS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO WINGTIP STRIKES IF A TIGHT TURN AWAY FROM OBSTACLES IS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL NOT ONLY THE NOSE; BUT THE WINGTIP; IS CLR.

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

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