Taxiing small aircraft avoiding fuel trucks hits vertical stabilizer of parked aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	269234
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	269234
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was told to taxi the C-172 parked in front of the hangar, to a tiedown. After I started the airplane I started taxiing towards the tie-downs. On my right side were fuel trucks parked. In addition to that also, ladders and lights belonging to the air force. As I tried to stay clear of those items, I thought I would be clear of another airplane's vertical stabilizer. Which wasn't the case. I was turning to the right, hardly moving, but probably the moment the wing had at that time bent the vertical stabilizer. I also think that the sun was a big factor in this case. Also that the fuel trucks and air force materials were placed close to the tie-downs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXIING SMA AVOIDING FUEL TRUCKS HITS VERT STABILIZER OF PARKED ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS TOLD TO TAXI THE C-172 PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HANGAR, TO A TIEDOWN. AFTER I STARTED THE AIRPLANE I STARTED TAXIING TOWARDS THE TIE-DOWNS. ON MY R SIDE WERE FUEL TRUCKS PARKED. IN ADDITION TO THAT ALSO, LADDERS AND LIGHTS BELONGING TO THE AIR FORCE. AS I TRIED TO STAY CLR OF THOSE ITEMS, I THOUGHT I WOULD BE CLR OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE'S VERT STABILIZER. WHICH WASN'T THE CASE. I WAS TURNING TO THE R, HARDLY MOVING, BUT PROBABLY THE MOMENT THE WING HAD AT THAT TIME BENT THE VERT STABILIZER. I ALSO THINK THAT THE SUN WAS A BIG FACTOR IN THIS CASE. ALSO THAT THE FUEL TRUCKS AND AIR FORCE MATERIALS WERE PLACED CLOSE TO THE TIE-DOWNS.

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.