DENVER, CO, USA
N1973
BOEING 727-100
WHILE TAXIING TO THE CARGO RAMP, THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A LIGHTPOLE AS THE FLIGHT CREW WERE DIRECTED BY GND PERS. ONE TAXI DIRECTOR ATTEMPTED TO HANDOFF THE FLIGHT TO ANOTHER BUT THE SECOND MISUNDERSTOOD AND TURNED AWAY. A THIRD PERSON, WHO WAS NOT A TAXI DIRECTOR BUT WAS A SAFETY LOOKOUT, BEGAN TO GIVE TAXI SIGNALS AND THE FLIGHTCREW FOLLOWED HIM. THIS PERSON DETERMINED THAT THE WING WOULD CLEAR THE POLE AND DIRECTED A TURN. HE BELIEVED THE FLIGHTCREW DID NOT TURN AS RAPIDLY AS HE HAD DIRECTED, RESULTING IN THE WING CONTACTING THE POLE. THE SAFETY LOOKOUT SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE ACFT BUT HE WAS OUT OF VIEW UNDER THE ACFT NOSE AND HAD TO RUN OUT 15 FEET TO BE SEEN BY THE FLIGHTCREW. THE WINGTIPS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM THE 727 COCKPIT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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