Wing tip of atx small transport hit a baggage cart taxiing away from the ramp.

Attributes
ACN	192183
Time
Date	199110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	192183
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a return charter flight from eyw (an airport with very limited ramp area for ever increasing commuter operation). I was blocked in a parking area by 2 aircraft, 1 from behind -- aircraft #2, and 1 in the front -- aircraft #1. Aircraft #1, which was in the process of taxiing out for takeoff, stopped their movement and shut down an engine which created the ramp blockage as illustrated in diagram #1. Upon approval from ground control, I started a forward movement to exit the ramp area in the only possible row, which was to pass in front of aircraft #2 and between it and the terminal where the baggage cart was parked by the ground personnel. The lack of or absence of stop signal from ground crew caused the 'supposed' contact with a baggage cart. I stopped and exited the aircraft and checked the wing tip. I did not observe any damage other than a 2 inch paint chip. The following day on a post-flight inspection, I discovered a very fine, almost impossible to detect, crack which was apparently caused by the baggage cart. At this time I reported this and wrote it up in aircraft logbook, but by now revenue flight had taken place and air pressure on the area perhaps had caused an even more intensive damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WING TIP OF ATX SMT HIT A BAGGAGE CART TAXIING AWAY FROM THE RAMP.

Narrative: ON A RETURN CHARTER FLT FROM EYW (AN ARPT WITH VERY LIMITED RAMP AREA FOR EVER INCREASING COMMUTER OP). I WAS BLOCKED IN A PARKING AREA BY 2 ACFT, 1 FROM BEHIND -- ACFT #2, AND 1 IN THE FRONT -- ACFT #1. ACFT #1, WHICH WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF, STOPPED THEIR MOVEMENT AND SHUT DOWN AN ENG WHICH CREATED THE RAMP BLOCKAGE AS ILLUSTRATED IN DIAGRAM #1. UPON APPROVAL FROM GND CTL, I STARTED A FORWARD MOVEMENT TO EXIT THE RAMP AREA IN THE ONLY POSSIBLE ROW, WHICH WAS TO PASS IN FRONT OF ACFT #2 AND BTWN IT AND THE TERMINAL WHERE THE BAGGAGE CART WAS PARKED BY THE GND PERSONNEL. THE LACK OF OR ABSENCE OF STOP SIGNAL FROM GND CREW CAUSED THE 'SUPPOSED' CONTACT WITH A BAGGAGE CART. I STOPPED AND EXITED THE ACFT AND CHKED THE WING TIP. I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY DAMAGE OTHER THAN A 2 INCH PAINT CHIP. THE FOLLOWING DAY ON A POST-FLT INSPECTION, I DISCOVERED A VERY FINE, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DETECT, CRACK WHICH WAS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY THE BAGGAGE CART. AT THIS TIME I RPTED THIS AND WROTE IT UP IN ACFT LOGBOOK, BUT BY NOW REVENUE FLT HAD TAKEN PLACE AND AIR PRESSURE ON THE AREA PERHAPS HAD CAUSED AN EVEN MORE INTENSIVE DAMAGE.

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.