2004-02 · NASA ASRS report 608449
MD88 CREW HIT A FUEL TRUCK WHILE TAXIING IN TO THE RAMP AREA. THE RAMP AREA WAS OBSCURED BY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
THE CTL TWR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A R TURNOFF AND TO REMAIN ON THE TWR FREQ. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING THE FINAL TWR INSTRUCTION. THE FIRST AVAILABLE EXIT WAS TXWY F WHERE I THEN EXITED THE ACTIVE RWY. THE PREVAILING WINDS AND SNOW WERE BLOWING ALMOST DIRECTLY DOWN THAT TXWY. AS I APCHED TXWY A; I NOTICED IT WAS COVERED WITH SNOW AND VIRTUALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE DUE TO THE SNOW COVER. I CONTINUED ACROSS TXWY A ON TXWY F TOWARD A LIGHTED LARGE RAMP AREA. AS I MANEUVERED A TURN ONTO THE RAMP AREA; I ASKED FO IF HE COULD SEE A YELLOW TAXI LINE. THERE WAS SNOW BLOWING ACROSS THE RAMP MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO LOCATE A YELLOW LINE. AFTER THE TURN ONTO THE RAMP; I NOTICED SEVERAL ACFT PARKED ON THE SW PORTION OF THE RAMP. I KEPT TO THE R TO ENSURE WINGTIP CLRNC. OFF TO OUR R WAS A SNOW COVERED FUEL TRUCK. I ASKED FO TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT TRUCK AND I WAS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE PARKED ACFT. AS I BEGAN A SLIGHT TURN TOWARD THE L (I WAS STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE PARKED ACFT); FO OPENED THE R WINDOW AND PLACED HIS HEAD OUT OF THE ACFT TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE R WING. SHORTLY AFTER HE LOOKED OUT AND HE RPTED THAT WE HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE TRUCK. I THEN CONTINUED TO TAXI TO GATE WHERE THE REQUIRED SHUTDOWN AND TERMINATION CHKLISTS WERE PERFORMED. AFTER ALL PAX DEPLANED; FO AND I EXITED THE JETWAY TO EXAMINE THE R WING. I OBSERVED A PUNCTURE ON THE OUTBOARD R LEADING EDGE SLAT. I CALLED THE DISPATCHER AND VIA A CONFERENCE CALL PHONE PATCH INFORMED MAINT OF THE DAMAGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 608451: AS WE APCHED THE RAMP AREA; THE CAPT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE ACFT ON THE L AND STEERED SLIGHTLY TO THE R. I THEN SAID 'WATCH THAT TRUCK' AND POINTED TO A FUEL TRUCK THAT WAS PARKED IN THE SNOW TO THE R. THE CAPT STEERED TO THE R. I OPENED THE WINDOW AND STUCK MY HEAD OUT TO SEE IF WE WOULD MAKE IT. I CAME BACK IN AND SAID; 'YOU'VE GOT TO GO L.' I STUCK MY HEAD OUT AGAIN AND I SAW THE WING BUMP OVER THE CABIN OF THE TRUCK. I CAME BACK IN AND TOLD THE CAPT THAT WE HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE TRUCK.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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