AN EMB120 STRUCK A LIGHT POST WHILE TAXIING.

Narrative

I WAS CALLED TO COME IN 45 MINS EARLY IN THE HANGAR; TO CONDUCT A TEST FLT ON ACFT; WHICH HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP FOR A BRAKING AND STEERING PROB DURING LNDG; AND WAS GNDED AS RESULT. I PREFLTED THE ACFT; THE SIC AND I COMPLETED ALL THE REQUIRED CHKS AND CHKLISTS. I STARTED UP THE ENGS. AFTER COMPLETING ALL THE REQUIRED CHKS AND THE 'AFTER START' CHKLIST; AND AFTER CLRING THE VISUAL SURROUNDINGS; I RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE WITH THE INTENTION TO TAXI OUT OF THE HANGAR AREA. I TAXIED A FEW FT STRAIGHT AHEAD; WHEN WE FELT A RESISTANCE. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE; THEN CALLED DISPATCH TO NOTIFY THEM THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO TAXI AND TO SEND A MECH TO THE ACFT. WE ASSUMED THERE WAS STILL A PROB WITH THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES. SHORTLY AFTER; A MECH CAME OUT OF THE HANGAR AND NOTICED WHAT HAD HAPPENED; WHILE I SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGS. IT APPEARS THAT DURING TAXI THE ACFT HIT A LIGHT POST AND DAMAGED THE R SIDE OF THE ELEVATOR AND THE R EDGE OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER. THE R SIDE OF THE ELEVATOR WAS BENT. THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED BY MAINT WITH THE EDGE OF THE TAIL A FEW FT BEHIND THE LIGHT POST AND IT WAS NOT VISIBLE THAT THE LIGHT POST WOULD COLLIDE WITH THE TAIL OF THE ACFT.