Narrative:

Cleared to runway 36 and given choice for taxi via 2 different ways. Chose to taxi N-3 because it would allow full use of runway 36 plus 18 overrun. I wanted every bit of runway since 36 is only 6000 ft and brap was reported. While taxiing out on assigned taxiway, with nosewheel on centerline, left wingtip impacted fence post that had been erected within last month. Ruined my whole day. The impact felt more like we hit a pothole. Passenger told flight attendant that we had struck fence post. We returned to gate. Minor damage but had to be ferried to main base for repair. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the fence post that we hit has been there for a long time but an addition or extension had been added recently making it high enough that it can now hit a wingtip. Taxiway N-3 is seldom used but tower gave me a choice and I wanted full length of runway including overrun. I saw the fence post but knowing it was a permanent part of the airport enclosure I assumed I had clearance -- unable to see the wingtip on this aircraft. FAA questioned the propriety of the airport management extending the height of the fence post to hang more barb wire. Supplemental information from acn 197373: I inquired as to the availability of taxiway N-3 for our aircraft (medium large transport). Ground controller advised that was approved with no restriction as our type had used that taxiway in the past. As we taxied, I queried the captain as to the proximity to the fence, bordering the parking lot, and the aircraft. He thought it was clear and as we were on the centerline the 6 ft high fence should have been no problem. But, as we passed the corner we struck an extension post with our left wingtip. The extension was to hold the newly placed barbed wire on top of the fence. The barbed wire was placed on the fence within the past 2 weeks. No one bothered to check the clrncs for taxiing aircraft and now the fence is well over 8 ft. No NOTAM was in effect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TAXIING ON TAXIWAY N-3 AT SBN WINGTIP OF MLG STRUCK FENCE POST.

Narrative: CLRED TO RWY 36 AND GIVEN CHOICE FOR TAXI VIA 2 DIFFERENT WAYS. CHOSE TO TAXI N-3 BECAUSE IT WOULD ALLOW FULL USE OF RWY 36 PLUS 18 OVERRUN. I WANTED EVERY BIT OF RWY SINCE 36 IS ONLY 6000 FT AND BRAP WAS RPTED. WHILE TAXIING OUT ON ASSIGNED TAXIWAY, WITH NOSEWHEEL ON CTRLINE, L WINGTIP IMPACTED FENCE POST THAT HAD BEEN ERECTED WITHIN LAST MONTH. RUINED MY WHOLE DAY. THE IMPACT FELT MORE LIKE WE HIT A POTHOLE. PAX TOLD FLT ATTENDANT THAT WE HAD STRUCK FENCE POST. WE RETURNED TO GATE. MINOR DAMAGE BUT HAD TO BE FERRIED TO MAIN BASE FOR REPAIR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FENCE POST THAT WE HIT HAS BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME BUT AN ADDITION OR EXTENSION HAD BEEN ADDED RECENTLY MAKING IT HIGH ENOUGH THAT IT CAN NOW HIT A WINGTIP. TAXIWAY N-3 IS SELDOM USED BUT TWR GAVE ME A CHOICE AND I WANTED FULL LENGTH OF RWY INCLUDING OVERRUN. I SAW THE FENCE POST BUT KNOWING IT WAS A PERMANENT PART OF THE ARPT ENCLOSURE I ASSUMED I HAD CLRNC -- UNABLE TO SEE THE WINGTIP ON THIS ACFT. FAA QUESTIONED THE PROPRIETY OF THE ARPT MGMNT EXTENDING THE HEIGHT OF THE FENCE POST TO HANG MORE BARB WIRE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 197373: I INQUIRED AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF TAXIWAY N-3 FOR OUR ACFT (MLG). GND CTLR ADVISED THAT WAS APPROVED WITH NO RESTRICTION AS OUR TYPE HAD USED THAT TAXIWAY IN THE PAST. AS WE TAXIED, I QUERIED THE CAPT AS TO THE PROX TO THE FENCE, BORDERING THE PARKING LOT, AND THE ACFT. HE THOUGHT IT WAS CLR AND AS WE WERE ON THE CTRLINE THE 6 FT HIGH FENCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEM. BUT, AS WE PASSED THE CORNER WE STRUCK AN EXTENSION POST WITH OUR L WINGTIP. THE EXTENSION WAS TO HOLD THE NEWLY PLACED BARBED WIRE ON TOP OF THE FENCE. THE BARBED WIRE WAS PLACED ON THE FENCE WITHIN THE PAST 2 WKS. NO ONE BOTHERED TO CHK THE CLRNCS FOR TAXIING ACFT AND NOW THE FENCE IS WELL OVER 8 FT. NO NOTAM WAS IN EFFECT.

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.