A taxiing PA28 heard a thud while moving slowly between parked aircraft. Later, when returning from ...

Attributes
ACN	414062
Time
Date	199809
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cps
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	414062
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a training flight with a presolo student. We heard a low muffled thud as we taxied very slowly between 2 rows of parked bonanzas. We taxied super slow because some people were tending to their aircraft. At the time of hearing the noise, the student and myself looked in all directions and saw nothing. We had at least 10-15 ft clearance between our wingtips and the parked aircraft. I assumed we ran over the corner of a chalk or tiedown chain. We continued with the flight which was entirely done in the traffic pattern. Upon taxiing back after completing the flight, ground control requested I call the tower, which I did. Note: while taxiing back to the parking area, it was now getting dark. I noticed people walking on the txwys and runway 4/22 which was closed, but had to be crossed. I informed the tower of such. I found out from the tower controller that someone told him my plane struck a person on the ramp, and requested I check my airplane for any damage. The only damage was a missing green navigation light lens. The light bulb still worked as did the strobe light. The so-called struck person could not be located and myself and 2 other people checked every plane on the ramp 4 times for damage and we found none. I told the controllers to put something on the ATIS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TAXIING PA28 HEARD A THUD WHILE MOVING SLOWLY BTWN PARKED ACFT. LATER, WHEN RETURNING FROM HIS FLT, THE RPTR INSTRUCTED PLT WAS TOLD THAT SOMEONE RPTED THAT HIS ACFT HAD STRUCK AN UNKNOWN PERSON ON THE RAMP.

Narrative: I WAS ON A TRAINING FLT WITH A PRESOLO STUDENT. WE HEARD A LOW MUFFLED THUD AS WE TAXIED VERY SLOWLY BTWN 2 ROWS OF PARKED BONANZAS. WE TAXIED SUPER SLOW BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WERE TENDING TO THEIR ACFT. AT THE TIME OF HEARING THE NOISE, THE STUDENT AND MYSELF LOOKED IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND SAW NOTHING. WE HAD AT LEAST 10-15 FT CLRNC BTWN OUR WINGTIPS AND THE PARKED ACFT. I ASSUMED WE RAN OVER THE CORNER OF A CHALK OR TIEDOWN CHAIN. WE CONTINUED WITH THE FLT WHICH WAS ENTIRELY DONE IN THE TFC PATTERN. UPON TAXIING BACK AFTER COMPLETING THE FLT, GND CTL REQUESTED I CALL THE TWR, WHICH I DID. NOTE: WHILE TAXIING BACK TO THE PARKING AREA, IT WAS NOW GETTING DARK. I NOTICED PEOPLE WALKING ON THE TXWYS AND RWY 4/22 WHICH WAS CLOSED, BUT HAD TO BE CROSSED. I INFORMED THE TWR OF SUCH. I FOUND OUT FROM THE TWR CTLR THAT SOMEONE TOLD HIM MY PLANE STRUCK A PERSON ON THE RAMP, AND REQUESTED I CHK MY AIRPLANE FOR ANY DAMAGE. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS A MISSING GREEN NAV LIGHT LENS. THE LIGHT BULB STILL WORKED AS DID THE STROBE LIGHT. THE SO-CALLED STRUCK PERSON COULD NOT BE LOCATED AND MYSELF AND 2 OTHER PEOPLE CHKED EVERY PLANE ON THE RAMP 4 TIMES FOR DAMAGE AND WE FOUND NONE. I TOLD THE CTLRS TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE ATIS.

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.

A taxiing PA28 heard a thud while moving slowly between parked aircraft. Later, when returning from his flight, the reporter instructed pilot was told that someone reported that his aircraft had struck an unknown person on the ramp.