A B737-300 LEAD MECHANIC GUIDING THE PARKING OF A TAXIED ACFT; DESCRIBES THE CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT LED TO BOTH WINGLETS BEING DAMAGED.

Narrative

WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR ACFT TO RETURN FROM THE BLAST FENCE TO PARK IN FRONT OF BAY 1; ACFT WAS BEING PUSHED OUT OF BAY 2 TO COMPLETE ITS LEAK CHKS. I NOTICED THAT ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH WINGLETS MAKING THE AREA THAT WE HAD TO PARK IN SMALLER THAN USUAL. I THEN NOTICED THAT ACFT WAS NOT PARKED ON THE CORRECT 'J' LINE IN FRONT OF BAY 2. AS I NOTED THIS I LOOKED BACK TO SEE ACFT HAD RETURNED FROM THE BLAST FENCE AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN AND PARK IN FRONT OF BAY 1; I ATTEMPTED TO GUIDE THE ACFT IN TO THE L OF THE USUAL 'J' LINE. DUE TO THE TIGHT AREAS IN FRONT OF THE HANGAR THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PRACTICE. I HAD A MECH WATCHING THE R WING OF ACFT TO MAKE SURE WE HAD CLRNC. I WATCHED HIS SIGNALS AS WE SLOWLY BROUGHT THE ACFT IN. I LOOKED AT HIS SIGNAL AND I SAW HIS HANDS WERE 2-3 FT APART. I INTERPED THIS AS THE FACT THAT I HAD THAT MUCH CLRNC BTWN ACFT. I BROUGHT THE ACFT FORWARD; LOOKED AT THE FLT DECK FOR A SECOND AND THEN LOOKED BACK AT THE WING WALKER TO SEE HIS HANDS CROSSED. I ATTEMPTED TO SIGNAL THE MECHS IN THE FLT DECK TO STOP BUT IT WAS TOO LATE; THE WINGTIPS COLLIDED. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE WING WALKER WAS TRYING TO TELL ME I ONLY HAD 2-3 FT OF FORWARD CLRNC NOT SIDE CLRNC. I'M INCLUDING THE NAMES OF THE WING WALKER; THE 2 MECHS THAT WERE TAXIING THE ACFT FOR REASONS OF DETAIL AS IT WAS MY FAULT THIS HAPPENED. I'M SUPPOSED TO BE THE EYES FOR THE TAXI CREW TELLING THEM IT'S OK TO ENTER. I'M RESPONSIBLE I MADE THE MISTAKE.