Narrative:

We took the taxiway to depart runway 28. We were running the checklist as usual. The PIC was in the right seat and I was in the left. The PIC was setting up the navigation instruments for the flight home. I saw a tent to the right of the taxiway. It had been placed there for an upcoming airshow. It seemed close to the taxiway. There had been no NOTAM issued concerning the taxiway. I knew I should have adequate clearance if I stayed on the centerline, but to be cautious I moved the nosewheel to the left approximately 1 1/2-2 ft. I could not see the right wingtip from my position. I was concerned about moving much further left because I didn't want the left main to enter the grass. The PIC was still inside the cockpit setting the vlfirst officermega. We struck the tent. I immediately stopped. We taxied back to the FBO. In considering our crew errors, there was a lack of communication involved. The PIC had seen the tent upon landing, but had not given me any indication he was concerned with how close it was. Also, as we approached the tent I did not ask him to check the wing to see if I had adequate clearance. It might have helped if he didn't have his head inside the cockpit for the entire taxi. Also, I should not have assumed the centerline would provide clearance. I used bad judgement in not asking him to check the wingtip. Supplemental information from acn 280519: on final approach to the field, I noticed several tents set up around the airport grounds. One was set up directly adjacent to the parallel taxiway for the main runway. I began initializing the r-nav unit and programming it for our leg back home. The mit had been unreliable earlier in the day. Suddenly remembering the odd placement of the tent, I looked up and to the right just as the tip of our right wing struck the corner post of the tent. The wing struck the remaining 3 posts of the outside wall of the tent. The right wingtip had been damaged.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WINGTIP HIT SEVERAL TENT POLES.

Narrative: WE TOOK THE TXWY TO DEPART RWY 28. WE WERE RUNNING THE CHKLIST AS USUAL. THE PIC WAS IN THE R SEAT AND I WAS IN THE L. THE PIC WAS SETTING UP THE NAV INSTS FOR THE FLT HOME. I SAW A TENT TO THE R OF THE TXWY. IT HAD BEEN PLACED THERE FOR AN UPCOMING AIRSHOW. IT SEEMED CLOSE TO THE TXWY. THERE HAD BEEN NO NOTAM ISSUED CONCERNING THE TXWY. I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE ADEQUATE CLRNC IF I STAYED ON THE CTRLINE, BUT TO BE CAUTIOUS I MOVED THE NOSEWHEEL TO THE L APPROX 1 1/2-2 FT. I COULD NOT SEE THE R WINGTIP FROM MY POS. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MOVING MUCH FURTHER L BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THE L MAIN TO ENTER THE GRASS. THE PIC WAS STILL INSIDE THE COCKPIT SETTING THE VLF/OMEGA. WE STRUCK THE TENT. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE FBO. IN CONSIDERING OUR CREW ERRORS, THERE WAS A LACK OF COM INVOLVED. THE PIC HAD SEEN THE TENT UPON LNDG, BUT HAD NOT GIVEN ME ANY INDICATION HE WAS CONCERNED WITH HOW CLOSE IT WAS. ALSO, AS WE APCHED THE TENT I DID NOT ASK HIM TO CHK THE WING TO SEE IF I HAD ADEQUATE CLRNC. IT MIGHT HAVE HELPED IF HE DIDN'T HAVE HIS HEAD INSIDE THE COCKPIT FOR THE ENTIRE TAXI. ALSO, I SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED THE CTRLINE WOULD PROVIDE CLRNC. I USED BAD JUDGEMENT IN NOT ASKING HIM TO CHK THE WINGTIP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 280519: ON FINAL APCH TO THE FIELD, I NOTICED SEVERAL TENTS SET UP AROUND THE ARPT GNDS. ONE WAS SET UP DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE PARALLEL TXWY FOR THE MAIN RWY. I BEGAN INITIALIZING THE R-NAV UNIT AND PROGRAMMING IT FOR OUR LEG BACK HOME. THE MIT HAD BEEN UNRELIABLE EARLIER IN THE DAY. SUDDENLY REMEMBERING THE ODD PLACEMENT OF THE TENT, I LOOKED UP AND TO THE R JUST AS THE TIP OF OUR R WING STRUCK THE CORNER POST OF THE TENT. THE WING STRUCK THE REMAINING 3 POSTS OF THE OUTSIDE WALL OF THE TENT. THE R WINGTIP HAD BEEN DAMAGED.

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.