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A319 struck wingtip on ramp light pole while following marshaler instructions at lit.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 579761 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200304 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lit.airport |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 98 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3800 |
| ASRS Report | 579761 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 579761 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters other |
| Independent Detector | other other : person 7 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Company Airport Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Diverted to lit for WX at mem. While following a 'follow me truck' to park at ramp X, the aircraft struck a light pole with the left wingtip. Upon exiting the taxiway, ground control told us to look for the follow me truck on taxiway U. We were not given specific instructions on where we would park other than 'follow the truck.' there was no communication with the truck, therefore, we could not plan or discuss our approach to the ramp. We just followed the truck to remote ramp X. We were led to the south end to proceed west and do a 180 degree turn to face east on the north side of ramp X (see lit 10-9). The light pole is located on the southeast end of the ramp, is brown in color, and blends into the buildings in the background which are brown. I was looking to my right because the captain could not see the marshaler who was on the northeast corner facing west. We entered the ramp at approximately 3-4 KTS. When we completed our 180 degree turn and set the parking brake, the lead flight attendant advised us that a passenger noticed we had struck the light pole. Contributing factors were: 1) unscheduled operations at an airport which the airbus does not operate into. 2) not having prior knowledge of where we would park until we were there. 3) trying to keep an eye on the 'follow me' truck and marshaler at same time divided our attention. 4) color and proximity of light pole to the ramp. 5) crew not noticing the pole.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A319 STRUCK WINGTIP ON RAMP LIGHT POLE WHILE FOLLOWING MARSHALER INSTRUCTIONS AT LIT.
Narrative: DIVERTED TO LIT FOR WX AT MEM. WHILE FOLLOWING A 'FOLLOW ME TRUCK' TO PARK AT RAMP X, THE ACFT STRUCK A LIGHT POLE WITH THE L WINGTIP. UPON EXITING THE TXWY, GND CTL TOLD US TO LOOK FOR THE FOLLOW ME TRUCK ON TXWY U. WE WERE NOT GIVEN SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON WHERE WE WOULD PARK OTHER THAN 'FOLLOW THE TRUCK.' THERE WAS NO COM WITH THE TRUCK, THEREFORE, WE COULD NOT PLAN OR DISCUSS OUR APCH TO THE RAMP. WE JUST FOLLOWED THE TRUCK TO REMOTE RAMP X. WE WERE LED TO THE S END TO PROCEED W AND DO A 180 DEG TURN TO FACE E ON THE N SIDE OF RAMP X (SEE LIT 10-9). THE LIGHT POLE IS LOCATED ON THE SE END OF THE RAMP, IS BROWN IN COLOR, AND BLENDS INTO THE BUILDINGS IN THE BACKGROUND WHICH ARE BROWN. I WAS LOOKING TO MY R BECAUSE THE CAPT COULD NOT SEE THE MARSHALER WHO WAS ON THE NE CORNER FACING W. WE ENTERED THE RAMP AT APPROX 3-4 KTS. WHEN WE COMPLETED OUR 180 DEG TURN AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED US THAT A PAX NOTICED WE HAD STRUCK THE LIGHT POLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) UNSCHEDULED OPS AT AN ARPT WHICH THE AIRBUS DOES NOT OPERATE INTO. 2) NOT HAVING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE WE WOULD PARK UNTIL WE WERE THERE. 3) TRYING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE 'FOLLOW ME' TRUCK AND MARSHALER AT SAME TIME DIVIDED OUR ATTN. 4) COLOR AND PROX OF LIGHT POLE TO THE RAMP. 5) CREW NOT NOTICING THE POLE.
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.