Narrative:

Pushed out gate at ord. After push back, start, and departure salute, began taxi out, turn to center of alley taxiway. Elevator of aircraft struck tail of aircraft behind. Inexperienced push back crew positioned aircraft in 'impossible' position. Discovered by radio report from struck aircraft. Since economics primarily dictate inexperienced push back crews probably should have surveyed and painted references on ramp. Supplemental information from acn 98051. Because of our aircraft's position, when our tail came around it struck the tail of another aircraft parked behind us. (This aircraft could not be seen from any cockpit position).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR-LGT TAIL STRUCK ADJACENT ACFT TAIL UPON GATE DEP.

Narrative: PUSHED OUT GATE AT ORD. AFTER PUSH BACK, START, AND DEP SALUTE, BEGAN TAXI OUT, TURN TO CENTER OF ALLEY TXWY. ELEVATOR OF ACFT STRUCK TAIL OF ACFT BEHIND. INEXPERIENCED PUSH BACK CREW POSITIONED ACFT IN 'IMPOSSIBLE' POS. DISCOVERED BY RADIO RPT FROM STRUCK ACFT. SINCE ECONOMICS PRIMARILY DICTATE INEXPERIENCED PUSH BACK CREWS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SURVEYED AND PAINTED REFERENCES ON RAMP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 98051. BECAUSE OF OUR ACFT'S POS, WHEN OUR TAIL CAME AROUND IT STRUCK THE TAIL OF ANOTHER ACFT PARKED BEHIND US. (THIS ACFT COULD NOT BE SEEN FROM ANY COCKPIT POS).

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.