While turning as directed by marshallers, heavy transport tail strikes a light pole.

Attributes
ACN	236497
Time
Date	199303
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	236497
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6800
ASRS Report	236760
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing into our final parking spot under control of marshalling, the aircraft tail struck a light pole. Prior to the strike, the captain brought the aircraft to a stop due to concerns of the light pole. The first officer opened his window and confirmed we would clear the light pole with the wing but was concerned about the tail. He pointed to the tail while looking at the marshaller. The marshaller gave a thumbs up and gave us instructions to continue the taxi. As we continued our turn into our parking spot, the aircraft tail struck the light pole. Recommendations: due to high density parking on our company's ramp, company should use 3 marshallers instead of 2 to spot and park aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TURNING AS DIRECTED BY MARSHALLERS, HVT TAIL STRIKES A LIGHT POLE.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING INTO OUR FINAL PARKING SPOT UNDER CTL OF MARSHALLING, THE ACFT TAIL STRUCK A LIGHT POLE. PRIOR TO THE STRIKE, THE CAPT BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP DUE TO CONCERNS OF THE LIGHT POLE. THE FO OPENED HIS WINDOW AND CONFIRMED WE WOULD CLR THE LIGHT POLE WITH THE WING BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TAIL. HE POINTED TO THE TAIL WHILE LOOKING AT THE MARSHALLER. THE MARSHALLER GAVE A THUMBS UP AND GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE THE TAXI. AS WE CONTINUED OUR TURN INTO OUR PARKING SPOT, THE ACFT TAIL STRUCK THE LIGHT POLE. RECOMMENDATIONS: DUE TO HIGH DENSITY PARKING ON OUR COMPANY'S RAMP, COMPANY SHOULD USE 3 MARSHALLERS INSTEAD OF 2 TO SPOT AND PARK ACFT.

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.