Narrative:

After loading passengers, we pushed back from the gate about 15 mins late. Anticipating a taxi on one engine due to departure delays, I requested marshaller to orient aircraft so my breakaway thrust wouldn't damage anything behind me. After having my first officer start the left engine, I set the parking brake per the marshaller's request. He disconnected the tow bar, and I cleared him off the headset. He then saluted and walked toward the terminal on the right side of the aircraft. After completing the 'after start/one engine' checklist, we received clearance to taxi to runway 4R. I added power (about 1/15 EPR), pulled forward about 10', and started a left turn out. We felt a bump in the turn, so I stopped the aircraft and had my first officer look to the right for someone. The ground crew came back out, plugged in, and advised us that we had hit the tail of another aircraft. I had the first officer start the #2 engine, and taxied back to the gate. Both aircraft sustained damage to the right elevator tip. At no time were we advised or made aware of the proximity of the aircraft behind us. We turned tightly to avoid parked aircraft in front of us. Standardized push back spots, signals, and procedures would have prevented this occurrence. The ground crew either should have pulled us clear or remained in place to marshall our taxi out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXI FROM GATE ACFT ELEVATOR STRUCK ELEVATOR OF PARKED MLG.

Narrative: AFTER LOADING PAXS, WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE ABOUT 15 MINS LATE. ANTICIPATING A TAXI ON ONE ENG DUE TO DEP DELAYS, I REQUESTED MARSHALLER TO ORIENT ACFT SO MY BREAKAWAY THRUST WOULDN'T DAMAGE ANYTHING BEHIND ME. AFTER HAVING MY F/O START THE L ENG, I SET THE PARKING BRAKE PER THE MARSHALLER'S REQUEST. HE DISCONNECTED THE TOW BAR, AND I CLRED HIM OFF THE HEADSET. HE THEN SALUTED AND WALKED TOWARD THE TERMINAL ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT. AFTER COMPLETING THE 'AFTER START/ONE ENG' CHKLIST, WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 4R. I ADDED PWR (ABOUT 1/15 EPR), PULLED FORWARD ABOUT 10', AND STARTED A L TURN OUT. WE FELT A BUMP IN THE TURN, SO I STOPPED THE ACFT AND HAD MY F/O LOOK TO THE R FOR SOMEONE. THE GND CREW CAME BACK OUT, PLUGGED IN, AND ADVISED US THAT WE HAD HIT THE TAIL OF ANOTHER ACFT. I HAD THE F/O START THE #2 ENG, AND TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE. BOTH ACFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE R ELEVATOR TIP. AT NO TIME WERE WE ADVISED OR MADE AWARE OF THE PROX OF THE ACFT BEHIND US. WE TURNED TIGHTLY TO AVOID PARKED ACFT IN FRONT OF US. STANDARDIZED PUSH BACK SPOTS, SIGNALS, AND PROCS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS OCCURRENCE. THE GND CREW EITHER SHOULD HAVE PULLED US CLR OR REMAINED IN PLACE TO MARSHALL OUR TAXI OUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.