Reporter damaged aircraft taxiing with baggage loader positioned against the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	289572
Time
Date	199411
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tul
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9700 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	289572
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	289744
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While preparing to repos an aircraft from gate x-a to gate x- B in harrisburg (mdt), the aircraft was damaged. I arrived at the aircraft with my first officer. As I completed cockpit checks my first officer completed the external walk around. After our checks were completed, we were prepared to move the aircraft as we have on other mornings. We were able to signal a ramp agent, working a nearby flight, to pull our chocks. Once the chocks were pulled and I got a quick salute, we began our taxi. Unfortunately, during the time between completing our walk around and starting an engine and obtaining taxi clearance, a baggage loader must have been placed against the aircraft. As the aircraft moved the skin was scratched and torn. I believe the largest contributing factor is we were unaware that the procedure to position this morning flight had recently been stopped. We were under the impression the aircraft was to be repositioned yet the ground crew thought the aircraft was to be loaded where it was parked. Better procedures for operational changes need to be addressed. This is even more important at out stations and early morning departures when personnel can be hard to find.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR DAMAGED ACFT TAXIING WITH BAGGAGE LOADER POSITIONED AGAINST THE ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING TO REPOS AN ACFT FROM GATE X-A TO GATE X- B IN HARRISBURG (MDT), THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT WITH MY FO. AS I COMPLETED COCKPIT CHKS MY FO COMPLETED THE EXTERNAL WALK AROUND. AFTER OUR CHKS WERE COMPLETED, WE WERE PREPARED TO MOVE THE ACFT AS WE HAVE ON OTHER MORNINGS. WE WERE ABLE TO SIGNAL A RAMP AGENT, WORKING A NEARBY FLT, TO PULL OUR CHOCKS. ONCE THE CHOCKS WERE PULLED AND I GOT A QUICK SALUTE, WE BEGAN OUR TAXI. UNFORTUNATELY, DURING THE TIME BTWN COMPLETING OUR WALK AROUND AND STARTING AN ENG AND OBTAINING TAXI CLRNC, A BAGGAGE LOADER MUST HAVE BEEN PLACED AGAINST THE ACFT. AS THE ACFT MOVED THE SKIN WAS SCRATCHED AND TORN. I BELIEVE THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS WE WERE UNAWARE THAT THE PROC TO POS THIS MORNING FLT HAD RECENTLY BEEN STOPPED. WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THE ACFT WAS TO BE REPOSITIONED YET THE GND CREW THOUGHT THE ACFT WAS TO BE LOADED WHERE IT WAS PARKED. BETTER PROCS FOR OPERATIONAL CHANGES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. THIS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AT OUT STATIONS AND EARLY MORNING DEPS WHEN PERSONNEL CAN BE HARD TO FIND.

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.