WHILE ATTEMPTING A TIGHT 180 DEG TURN AFTER PUSHBACK FROM THEIR GATE IN MSP; DC9 STRIKES ACFT PARKED AT ADJACENT GATE WITH THEIR TAIL.

Narrative

DURING PUSHBACK OUT OF MSP ARPT GATE X; GND TUG PUSHED OUR ACFT TO FACE EASTWARD. ACFT WAS POSITIONED FAR ENOUGH WESTWARD TO ALLOW ANOTHER DC9 TO ENTER THE GATE WE VACATED. ATC GND ADVISED US TO EXPECT RWY 30R AND WE ADVISED THE TUG DRIVER. AS THE TUG WAS STOPPING; AND PRIOR TO DISCONNECTING FROM OUR ACFT; THE ARRIVING DC9 BEGAN TO TAXI INTO THE GATE X BUT HAD TO STOP 300-400 FT SHORT. THE ARRIVING DC9 WAS NOT POSITIONED WELL FORWARD AND L OF OUR ACFT. AFTER OUR DISCONNECT FROM THE TUG; GND CTL ADVISED US THAT THEY NOW WANTED US TO TAXI TO RWY 30L AND ASKED IF WE HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO CLR THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US AND EXECUTE A L TURN OUT. I JUDGED THAT WE HAD SUFFICIENT CLRNC TO MAKE THE TURN. I APPLIED PWR AND STARTED FORWARD AND THEN STARTED A L TURN. AT APPROX 90-100 DEGS OF TURN WE FELT A BUMP AS IF THE GEAR HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING. I STOPPED THE TURN AT ABOUT 120 DEGS AND WE LOOKED OUT TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN AND RAN OVER. WE NOTICED 2 RAMP PERSONNEL WAVING AND SIGNALING FOR US TO HOLD POS. I CALLED MAINT CTL AND THEY ADVISED US THAT WE HAD STRUCK THE HORIZ STABILIZER OF AN ACFT PARKED IN THE GATE NEXT TO US; GATE Y. WE WERE THEN ASKED TO TAXI TO ANOTHER GATE. AFTER A VISUAL INSPECTION BY GND PERSONNEL TO ENSURE WE WERE SAFE TO TAXI; WE TAXIED TO THE GATE AND SHUT DOWN THE ACFT.