Narrative:

While operating a cherry picker for the purpose of a rudder replacement the boom arm struck the upper surface of the left elevator. The cherry-picker was initially extended to its maximum position. I worked my way down the rudder lowering the bucket to each hinge location one at a time. When the boom struck the elevator there appeared to be about 6 ft of clearance beneath the bucket. This was not so due to the extension of the 'jib' which position the bucket above the boom arm instead of ordinarily below it. Better awareness of the unusual confign of the equipment in question and more workable space between the aircraft and hangar doors could have prevented this accident.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 INCURRED L ELEVATOR DAMAGE WHEN STRUCK BY AN ELECTRIC LIFT BEING OPERATED BY A TECHNICIAN TO REMOVE THE RUDDER.

Narrative: WHILE OPERATING A CHERRY PICKER FOR THE PURPOSE OF A RUDDER REPLACEMENT THE BOOM ARM STRUCK THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE L ELEVATOR. THE CHERRY-PICKER WAS INITIALLY EXTENDED TO ITS MAX POS. I WORKED MY WAY DOWN THE RUDDER LOWERING THE BUCKET TO EACH HINGE LOCATION ONE AT A TIME. WHEN THE BOOM STRUCK THE ELEVATOR THERE APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 6 FT OF CLRNC BENEATH THE BUCKET. THIS WAS NOT SO DUE TO THE EXTENSION OF THE 'JIB' WHICH POS THE BUCKET ABOVE THE BOOM ARM INSTEAD OF ORDINARILY BELOW IT. BETTER AWARENESS OF THE UNUSUAL CONFIGN OF THE EQUIP IN QUESTION AND MORE WORKABLE SPACE BTWN THE ACFT AND HANGAR DOORS COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.