Narrative:

After clearing customs at or around XA10, I called ground control for clearance from the customs ramp to the north ramp. The ground controller issued me clearance to runway 10 to hold at intersection echo. I proceeded to the blacktop, taxiing at a slower than normal speed as the congestion at this time of day on the terminal ramp is quite heavy. I taxied in the normal position between the centerline and apron to facilitate any aircraft taxiing in the opposite direction. As I pulled onto the non- movement taxiway, I did not notice any aircraft or vehicle to the front or left of my aircraft. As I continued, now taxiing northwest, I scanned to the right where the majority of the ground activity was concentrated. Scanning back to the left I saw, to my surprise, a blue tractor or tug just at the moment my left wing made contact with the front section of the said vehicle. Note that, at this time of day, the sun was directly shining in my left window, so the moment of impact was glared. I could not tell if the tug was moving, braking, or stopped. I immediately turned the aircraft into gate and notified ground control of the collision. I feel I operated the aircraft normally that day as I have over the last 8 yrs at the cyril east. King airport. Operating in all types of WX, construction, and time of day and night operations with never a mishap. The driver of the tug had a clear view of the non-movement taxiway with no sun obstruction. I have been under the impression that aircraft have the right of way on any airport tarmac, taxiway, and runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA TWIN HIT A TUG WITH ITS WINGTIP.

Narrative: AFTER CLRING CUSTOMS AT OR AROUND XA10, I CALLED GND CTL FOR CLRNC FROM THE CUSTOMS RAMP TO THE N RAMP. THE GND CTLR ISSUED ME CLRNC TO RWY 10 TO HOLD AT INTXN ECHO. I PROCEEDED TO THE BLACKTOP, TAXIING AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL SPD AS THE CONGESTION AT THIS TIME OF DAY ON THE TERMINAL RAMP IS QUITE HVY. I TAXIED IN THE NORMAL POS BTWN THE CTRLINE AND APRON TO FACILITATE ANY ACFT TAXIING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AS I PULLED ONTO THE NON- MOVEMENT TXWY, I DID NOT NOTICE ANY ACFT OR VEHICLE TO THE FRONT OR L OF MY ACFT. AS I CONTINUED, NOW TAXIING NW, I SCANNED TO THE R WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE GND ACTIVITY WAS CONCENTRATED. SCANNING BACK TO THE L I SAW, TO MY SURPRISE, A BLUE TRACTOR OR TUG JUST AT THE MOMENT MY L WING MADE CONTACT WITH THE FRONT SECTION OF THE SAID VEHICLE. NOTE THAT, AT THIS TIME OF DAY, THE SUN WAS DIRECTLY SHINING IN MY L WINDOW, SO THE MOMENT OF IMPACT WAS GLARED. I COULD NOT TELL IF THE TUG WAS MOVING, BRAKING, OR STOPPED. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE ACFT INTO GATE AND NOTIFIED GND CTL OF THE COLLISION. I FEEL I OPERATED THE ACFT NORMALLY THAT DAY AS I HAVE OVER THE LAST 8 YRS AT THE CYRIL E. KING ARPT. OPERATING IN ALL TYPES OF WX, CONSTRUCTION, AND TIME OF DAY AND NIGHT OPS WITH NEVER A MISHAP. THE DRIVER OF THE TUG HAD A CLR VIEW OF THE NON-MOVEMENT TXWY WITH NO SUN OBSTRUCTION. I HAVE BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ACFT HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY ON ANY ARPT TARMAC, TXWY, AND RWY.

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.