On taxi away from gate, reporter's wingtip contacts ground equipment.

Attributes
ACN	299273
Time
Date	199503
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	299273
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

The aircraft was parked on the ramp right next to a tug. When we started to taxi out, I had completed the 'after engine start/before taxi' checklist and looked outside to make sure the area was clear. I noticed the proximity of the tug and informed my captain to watch out for it and go slowly. He proceeded slowly as the ramp agent flagged us out. Just as we got real close to the tug, I said 'stop' to my captain and immediately afterwards we felt a slight bump. We both thought it was as chock since the ramp agent continued to flag us on. My captain continued and ended up taking off the wingtip of the aircraft (just the plastic casing and lights). We performed the engine shutdown and evacuated in passenger. The incident could have been prevented if we had the tug removed before we even tried to taxi. The company has a habit of parking equipment very close to the aircraft. Normally we are able to taxi out slowly and turn tightly enough if we have power steering, which we did in this particular aircraft. The captain was in a tight turn when we clipped the wingtip and it had been very difficult for me to judge the distance from that angle from inside the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON TAXI AWAY FROM GATE, RPTR'S WINGTIP CONTACTS GND EQUIP.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP RIGHT NEXT TO A TUG. WHEN WE STARTED TO TAXI OUT, I HAD COMPLETED THE 'AFTER ENG START/BEFORE TAXI' CHKLIST AND LOOKED OUTSIDE TO MAKE SURE THE AREA WAS CLR. I NOTICED THE PROX OF THE TUG AND INFORMED MY CAPT TO WATCH OUT FOR IT AND GO SLOWLY. HE PROCEEDED SLOWLY AS THE RAMP AGENT FLAGGED US OUT. JUST AS WE GOT REAL CLOSE TO THE TUG, I SAID 'STOP' TO MY CAPT AND IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS WE FELT A SLIGHT BUMP. WE BOTH THOUGHT IT WAS AS CHOCK SINCE THE RAMP AGENT CONTINUED TO FLAG US ON. MY CAPT CONTINUED AND ENDED UP TAKING OFF THE WINGTIP OF THE ACFT (JUST THE PLASTIC CASING AND LIGHTS). WE PERFORMED THE ENG SHUTDOWN AND EVACUATED IN PAX. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF WE HAD THE TUG REMOVED BEFORE WE EVEN TRIED TO TAXI. THE COMPANY HAS A HABIT OF PARKING EQUIP VERY CLOSE TO THE ACFT. NORMALLY WE ARE ABLE TO TAXI OUT SLOWLY AND TURN TIGHTLY ENOUGH IF WE HAVE PWR STEERING, WHICH WE DID IN THIS PARTICULAR ACFT. THE CAPT WAS IN A TIGHT TURN WHEN WE CLIPPED THE WINGTIP AND IT HAD BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO JUDGE THE DISTANCE FROM THAT ANGLE FROM INSIDE THE COCKPIT.

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.