Narrative:

Bna is usually a pwrback taxi operation. I asked for a right turn out of parking using 1 engine to taxi. This was coordinated with the bna operations personnel. After we were ready to depart, it was discovered that 2 passenger had been left standing in the boarding area. I insisted we would not leave until those people had been boarded. As soon as the passenger were seated, I began to follow the taxi coordinator's signals and what appeared to be a routine departure. After we were airborne, the bna operations personnel advised us of jet blast damage to the jetway with no contact between the aircraft and jetway. In retrospect, I remember the jetway was still backing up as I began my taxi turnout. Perhaps the fact the jetway was not stowed all the way against the terminal caused the exposure to jet blast. The aircraft was at near idle thrust as the tail was turning toward the jetway and terminal. Haste to make up for lost time certainly led the ground personnel to rush getting the aircraft movement underway. My reliance on the signals led me to disregard my 'gut feeling' the jetway was too close. Next time the 'gut feeling will weigh heavily.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING GATE DEP, JET BLAST CAUSES DAMAGE TO PAX LOADING BRIDGE.

Narrative: BNA IS USUALLY A PWRBACK TAXI OP. I ASKED FOR A R TURN OUT OF PARKING USING 1 ENG TO TAXI. THIS WAS COORDINATED WITH THE BNA OPS PERSONNEL. AFTER WE WERE READY TO DEPART, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT 2 PAX HAD BEEN LEFT STANDING IN THE BOARDING AREA. I INSISTED WE WOULD NOT LEAVE UNTIL THOSE PEOPLE HAD BEEN BOARDED. AS SOON AS THE PAX WERE SEATED, I BEGAN TO FOLLOW THE TAXI COORDINATOR'S SIGNALS AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A ROUTINE DEP. AFTER WE WERE AIRBORNE, THE BNA OPS PERSONNEL ADVISED US OF JET BLAST DAMAGE TO THE JETWAY WITH NO CONTACT BTWN THE ACFT AND JETWAY. IN RETROSPECT, I REMEMBER THE JETWAY WAS STILL BACKING UP AS I BEGAN MY TAXI TURNOUT. PERHAPS THE FACT THE JETWAY WAS NOT STOWED ALL THE WAY AGAINST THE TERMINAL CAUSED THE EXPOSURE TO JET BLAST. THE ACFT WAS AT NEAR IDLE THRUST AS THE TAIL WAS TURNING TOWARD THE JETWAY AND TERMINAL. HASTE TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME CERTAINLY LED THE GND PERSONNEL TO RUSH GETTING THE ACFT MOVEMENT UNDERWAY. MY RELIANCE ON THE SIGNALS LED ME TO DISREGARD MY 'GUT FEELING' THE JETWAY WAS TOO CLOSE. NEXT TIME THE 'GUT FEELING WILL WEIGH HEAVILY.'

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.