Aircraft damaged while parking.

Attributes
ACN	88993
Time
Date	198806
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jrb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	88993
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

I landed at the downtown manhattan heliport for short term parking on 6/fri/88. I was given the choice of parking in 1 of 3 available spaces on the south side of the parking barge. Like most helicopter operators in the ny area, I am aware of the curbing around the outer edge of the barge and its potential hazards. Most helicopter pilots will park their helicopter with the tail boom positioned over the water to avoid the possibility of inadvertently striking the curbing with the tail rotor. (The normal parking positions are laid out in a way the puts the tail rotor over the top of the curbing, also near light stands at some locations.) in my efforts to position the helicopter with the tail boom over the water, yet avoid damaging radio antenna near the forward portion of the tail boom, I got back too far and caught the landing gear on the outer edge of the curbing, causing damage to the landing gear doors. I strongly feel that the parking positions, in relation to the curbing and light stands, are a serious hazard risking a tail rotor strike that would certainly result in serious damage and possible injury. I recommend that parking positions be temporarily repositioned until the hazards are removed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DAMAGED WHILE PARKING.

Narrative: I LANDED AT THE DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN HELIPORT FOR SHORT TERM PARKING ON 6/FRI/88. I WAS GIVEN THE CHOICE OF PARKING IN 1 OF 3 AVAILABLE SPACES ON THE S SIDE OF THE PARKING BARGE. LIKE MOST HELI OPERATORS IN THE NY AREA, I AM AWARE OF THE CURBING AROUND THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BARGE AND ITS POTENTIAL HAZARDS. MOST HELI PLTS WILL PARK THEIR HELI WITH THE TAIL BOOM POSITIONED OVER THE WATER TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF INADVERTENTLY STRIKING THE CURBING WITH THE TAIL ROTOR. (THE NORMAL PARKING POSITIONS ARE LAID OUT IN A WAY THE PUTS THE TAIL ROTOR OVER THE TOP OF THE CURBING, ALSO NEAR LIGHT STANDS AT SOME LOCATIONS.) IN MY EFFORTS TO POS THE HELI WITH THE TAIL BOOM OVER THE WATER, YET AVOID DAMAGING RADIO ANTENNA NEAR THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM, I GOT BACK TOO FAR AND CAUGHT THE LNDG GEAR ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE CURBING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LNDG GEAR DOORS. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THE PARKING POSITIONS, IN RELATION TO THE CURBING AND LIGHT STANDS, ARE A SERIOUS HAZARD RISKING A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE THAT WOULD CERTAINLY RESULT IN SERIOUS DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURY. I RECOMMEND THAT PARKING POSITIONS BE TEMPORARILY REPOSITIONED UNTIL THE HAZARDS ARE REMOVED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.