Narrative:

With reference to additional attached narrative report, the situation arose because of congestion in the parking area and lack of assistance by ramp personnel, who were available but not outside on the ramp at the time. Immediately prior to contact of the wings difficulty was experienced in steering the small aircraft, as there is no assistance from differential braking by toe brakes as there are none in this particular aircraft. When initial contact was felt, the hand brake was engaged with right (throttle) hand as it is centrally located under dash, so to kill engine it was necessary to reach across with left hand, very awkward, and some delay was encountered in stopping soon enough to prevent sliding contact of wings. I feel strongly about the lack of toe brakes on this aircraft and think all such should be retrofitted. Acceding to reparking aircraft under the circumstances was a mistake, and this should have been left to airport ramp person, who is also a private pilot and whose duties include this. Narrative report, incident at camdenton memorial airport, 3/sat/89, xa local. Reporter-aircraft #1. Parked-aircraft #2. WX: clear, bright, sunny, temperature approximately 60 degrees F, wind from northwest 03-05 KTS, favoring runway 33. Some water from snow melt was standing randomly on the tarmac, approximately 30% cover. Aircraft #2 parked in tie down, see dwg, unoccupied. Aircraft #1 in motion during position shift at less than walking speed under own power. Upon landing in aircraft #1 after .5 hours touch and go, waited at taxiway entry off runway for departing traffic to clear on way to run up at runway 33, then proceeded to first available tie down, see drawing. Decided to facilitate visiting aircraft parking, as airport was very busy that afternoon, by shifting to tie down immediately south of aircraft #2. Just prior to shutdown, communicated with FBO to the effect that parking would eventually be accomplished and was requested by her to shift gas pump. In departing tie down, apparently turned too short, right wing of aircraft #1 contacted left wing of aircraft #2 near tip, #1 sliding under #2, as latter is higher offgnd. Drag of engagement started #1 further slewing to right, so track of #1 wing was diagonally toward root and leading edge of #2, terminating when aircraft #1 was stopped, at a point such that #1 maximum thickness point at tip rib was under and immediately aft of stall warning aperture of left wing of #2. Wing of aircraft was deflected downward sufficiently to compress right main oleo strut of aircraft #1 approximately 1-2'. Difficulty was experienced in halting #1 as it does not have toe brakes, and dependable locking of brake lever is sometimes not accomplished with the thumb button apparently because of wear in the detent ratchet. Accordingly both hands were being used to secure brake after initial failure to achieve locking, and engine remained at idle until aircraft #1 was at a stop, then it was secured in the normal fashion with mixture control fuel cut off. Effort was made during this to minimize contact by not steering to left, as that would have swept #1 right wing at higher speed over an arc differently oriented. Idle set on this day was such that no less than 1000 RPM was available with throttle at full stop, so aircraft #1 had a fairly large tendency to creep until brakes were fully engaged. It probably would have been better to initiate engine kill procedure prior to engaging hand brake. Ramp personnel were not outside on the ramp to assist with ground maneuvers until after pilot of #1 was able to get out and go inside terminal bldg to report events. Final positions of aircraft were roughly as indicated in sketch. After being photographed for damage and aircraft positions, the 2 were disengaged by 1 or 2 individuals lifting left wing tip of aircraft #2 while it was pushed backward a couple of feet, and 2 individuals bearing down on right wing tip of aircraft #1 while 2 others pushed it back, swinging its tail to its right to swing wing tip forward and out from under wing of #2. The 2 wings were completely separated vertically during this process by approximately 1', so did not drag and produced no further damage. Damage to #1: scuff marks on fiberglass upper surface of wing tip, some paint flaking off & crumpling of upper surface of tip. Boundaries of crumpled area appear to have bent fiberglass fibers beyond their elastic limit, so some fracturing in vicinity of sharpest bending. Green cover glass of position light was broken, but bulb and electrical connections appeared undamaged. Breaking of glass may have been due to engagement of light with pitot head of aircraft #2. One co-owner of #1 stated tip could be repaired by gluing on an internal reinforcement using fiberglass cloth and epoxy cement. Damage to aircraft #2: pitot head pulled off mounting with some local tearing of the wing skin, but head itself and its connections apparently were undamaged (upon subsequent inspection by mechanic). Scuff marks on skin of under surface of wing and some rippling of the skin, partly elastic and partially not, extended diagonally from this location to a point immediately aft of the stall warning port, with an inelastic upward streaking of skin (paint was penetrated to bare metal) from a point approximately 1' from stall warning to a point approximately 2 inches behind it, stopping short of leading edge lower radius. Distortion of ribs and main spar not evident, but as yet undetermined. Aforementioned scuffing and inelastic streaking comprise a track made by the top of the tip rib of aircraft #1. Owner of aircraft #2 subsequently quoted mechanic as stating that reskinning of left wing under surface, from fuel tank outboard toward tip and from spar aft to trailing edge, may be required. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: this aircraft manufactured west/O toe brake option. Reporter states even though he has limited experience, aircraft design makes maneuvering in restr space impossible and he doesn't intend to rent this aircraft again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TAXIING TO PARK REPORTER ACFT RIGHT WING STRUCK LEFT WING OF PARKED ACFT.

Narrative: WITH REF TO ADDITIONAL ATTACHED NARRATIVE RPT, THE SITUATION AROSE BECAUSE OF CONGESTION IN THE PARKING AREA AND LACK OF ASSISTANCE BY RAMP PERSONNEL, WHO WERE AVAILABLE BUT NOT OUTSIDE ON THE RAMP AT THE TIME. IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO CONTACT OF THE WINGS DIFFICULTY WAS EXPERIENCED IN STEERING THE SMA, AS THERE IS NO ASSISTANCE FROM DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING BY TOE BRAKES AS THERE ARE NONE IN THIS PARTICULAR ACFT. WHEN INITIAL CONTACT WAS FELT, THE HAND BRAKE WAS ENGAGED WITH RIGHT (THROTTLE) HAND AS IT IS CENTRALLY LOCATED UNDER DASH, SO TO KILL ENG IT WAS NECESSARY TO REACH ACROSS WITH LEFT HAND, VERY AWKWARD, AND SOME DELAY WAS ENCOUNTERED IN STOPPING SOON ENOUGH TO PREVENT SLIDING CONTACT OF WINGS. I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THE LACK OF TOE BRAKES ON THIS ACFT AND THINK ALL SUCH SHOULD BE RETROFITTED. ACCEDING TO REPARKING ACFT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES WAS A MISTAKE, AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT TO ARPT RAMP PERSON, WHO IS ALSO A PVT PLT AND WHOSE DUTIES INCLUDE THIS. NARRATIVE RPT, INCIDENT AT CAMDENTON MEMORIAL ARPT, 3/SAT/89, XA LCL. RPTR-ACFT #1. PARKED-ACFT #2. WX: CLEAR, BRIGHT, SUNNY, TEMP APPROX 60 DEGS F, WIND FROM NW 03-05 KTS, FAVORING RWY 33. SOME WATER FROM SNOW MELT WAS STANDING RANDOMLY ON THE TARMAC, APPROX 30% COVER. ACFT #2 PARKED IN TIE DOWN, SEE DWG, UNOCCUPIED. ACFT #1 IN MOTION DURING POS SHIFT AT LESS THAN WALKING SPD UNDER OWN PWR. UPON LNDG IN ACFT #1 AFTER .5 HRS TOUCH AND GO, WAITED AT TXWY ENTRY OFF RWY FOR DEPARTING TFC TO CLR ON WAY TO RUN UP AT RWY 33, THEN PROCEEDED TO FIRST AVAILABLE TIE DOWN, SEE DRAWING. DECIDED TO FACILITATE VISITING ACFT PARKING, AS ARPT WAS VERY BUSY THAT AFTERNOON, BY SHIFTING TO TIE DOWN IMMEDIATELY S OF ACFT #2. JUST PRIOR TO SHUTDOWN, COMMUNICATED WITH FBO TO THE EFFECT THAT PARKING WOULD EVENTUALLY BE ACCOMPLISHED AND WAS REQUESTED BY HER TO SHIFT GAS PUMP. IN DEPARTING TIE DOWN, APPARENTLY TURNED TOO SHORT, RIGHT WING OF ACFT #1 CONTACTED LEFT WING OF ACFT #2 NEAR TIP, #1 SLIDING UNDER #2, AS LATTER IS HIGHER OFFGND. DRAG OF ENGAGEMENT STARTED #1 FURTHER SLEWING TO RIGHT, SO TRACK OF #1 WING WAS DIAGONALLY TOWARD ROOT AND LEADING EDGE OF #2, TERMINATING WHEN ACFT #1 WAS STOPPED, AT A POINT SUCH THAT #1 MAX THICKNESS POINT AT TIP RIB WAS UNDER AND IMMEDIATELY AFT OF STALL WARNING APERTURE OF LEFT WING OF #2. WING OF ACFT WAS DEFLECTED DOWNWARD SUFFICIENTLY TO COMPRESS RIGHT MAIN OLEO STRUT OF ACFT #1 APPROX 1-2'. DIFFICULTY WAS EXPERIENCED IN HALTING #1 AS IT DOES NOT HAVE TOE BRAKES, AND DEPENDABLE LOCKING OF BRAKE LEVER IS SOMETIMES NOT ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE THUMB BUTTON APPARENTLY BECAUSE OF WEAR IN THE DETENT RATCHET. ACCORDINGLY BOTH HANDS WERE BEING USED TO SECURE BRAKE AFTER INITIAL FAILURE TO ACHIEVE LOCKING, AND ENG REMAINED AT IDLE UNTIL ACFT #1 WAS AT A STOP, THEN IT WAS SECURED IN THE NORMAL FASHION WITH MIXTURE CONTROL FUEL CUT OFF. EFFORT WAS MADE DURING THIS TO MINIMIZE CONTACT BY NOT STEERING TO LEFT, AS THAT WOULD HAVE SWEPT #1 RIGHT WING AT HIGHER SPD OVER AN ARC DIFFERENTLY ORIENTED. IDLE SET ON THIS DAY WAS SUCH THAT NO LESS THAN 1000 RPM WAS AVAILABLE WITH THROTTLE AT FULL STOP, SO ACFT #1 HAD A FAIRLY LARGE TENDENCY TO CREEP UNTIL BRAKES WERE FULLY ENGAGED. IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO INITIATE ENG KILL PROC PRIOR TO ENGAGING HAND BRAKE. RAMP PERSONNEL WERE NOT OUTSIDE ON THE RAMP TO ASSIST WITH GND MANEUVERS UNTIL AFTER PLT OF #1 WAS ABLE TO GET OUT AND GO INSIDE TERMINAL BLDG TO RPT EVENTS. FINAL POSITIONS OF ACFT WERE ROUGHLY AS INDICATED IN SKETCH. AFTER BEING PHOTOGRAPHED FOR DAMAGE AND ACFT POSITIONS, THE 2 WERE DISENGAGED BY 1 OR 2 INDIVIDUALS LIFTING LEFT WING TIP OF ACFT #2 WHILE IT WAS PUSHED BACKWARD A COUPLE OF FEET, AND 2 INDIVIDUALS BEARING DOWN ON RIGHT WING TIP OF ACFT #1 WHILE 2 OTHERS PUSHED IT BACK, SWINGING ITS TAIL TO ITS RIGHT TO SWING WING TIP FORWARD AND OUT FROM UNDER WING OF #2. THE 2 WINGS WERE COMPLETELY SEPARATED VERTICALLY DURING THIS PROCESS BY APPROX 1', SO DID NOT DRAG AND PRODUCED NO FURTHER DAMAGE. DAMAGE TO #1: SCUFF MARKS ON FIBERGLASS UPPER SURFACE OF WING TIP, SOME PAINT FLAKING OFF & CRUMPLING OF UPPER SURFACE OF TIP. BOUNDARIES OF CRUMPLED AREA APPEAR TO HAVE BENT FIBERGLASS FIBERS BEYOND THEIR ELASTIC LIMIT, SO SOME FRACTURING IN VICINITY OF SHARPEST BENDING. GREEN COVER GLASS OF POS LIGHT WAS BROKEN, BUT BULB AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS APPEARED UNDAMAGED. BREAKING OF GLASS MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO ENGAGEMENT OF LIGHT WITH PITOT HEAD OF ACFT #2. ONE CO-OWNER OF #1 STATED TIP COULD BE REPAIRED BY GLUING ON AN INTERNAL REINFORCEMENT USING FIBERGLASS CLOTH AND EPOXY CEMENT. DAMAGE TO ACFT #2: PITOT HEAD PULLED OFF MOUNTING WITH SOME LOCAL TEARING OF THE WING SKIN, BUT HEAD ITSELF AND ITS CONNECTIONS APPARENTLY WERE UNDAMAGED (UPON SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION BY MECHANIC). SCUFF MARKS ON SKIN OF UNDER SURFACE OF WING AND SOME RIPPLING OF THE SKIN, PARTLY ELASTIC AND PARTIALLY NOT, EXTENDED DIAGONALLY FROM THIS LOCATION TO A POINT IMMEDIATELY AFT OF THE STALL WARNING PORT, WITH AN INELASTIC UPWARD STREAKING OF SKIN (PAINT WAS PENETRATED TO BARE METAL) FROM A POINT APPROX 1' FROM STALL WARNING TO A POINT APPROX 2 INCHES BEHIND IT, STOPPING SHORT OF LEADING EDGE LOWER RADIUS. DISTORTION OF RIBS AND MAIN SPAR NOT EVIDENT, BUT AS YET UNDETERMINED. AFOREMENTIONED SCUFFING AND INELASTIC STREAKING COMPRISE A TRACK MADE BY THE TOP OF THE TIP RIB OF ACFT #1. OWNER OF ACFT #2 SUBSEQUENTLY QUOTED MECH AS STATING THAT RESKINNING OF LEFT WING UNDER SURFACE, FROM FUEL TANK OUTBOARD TOWARD TIP AND FROM SPAR AFT TO TRAILING EDGE, MAY BE REQUIRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THIS ACFT MANUFACTURED W/O TOE BRAKE OPTION. RPTR STATES EVEN THOUGH HE HAS LIMITED EXPERIENCE, ACFT DESIGN MAKES MANEUVERING IN RESTR SPACE IMPOSSIBLE AND HE DOESN'T INTEND TO RENT THIS ACFT AGAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.