Atlanta, GA, USA
N308DE
BOEING 737-732
N378DA
BOEING 737-832
The captain of a B737-800 had taxied to the entry of the assigned parking ramp where he stopped and waited for the ground crew to clear the parking area, post wing walkers, and give him the signal to park. The captain of a B737-700, which was following the B737-800, requested, through the ramp controller, that the stopped airplane move forward so that his airplane could pass. The B737-800 taxied forward and stopped again. The captain of the B737-700 then attempted to pass the B737-800, and the left winglet struck the B737-800’s right elevator, substantially damaging it.
The captain of the Boeing B737-700 reported that he was cleared to follow a company B737-800 to the ramp. The B737-800 captain reported that he was cleared to gate E3, however he needed to hold his position near gate E1 so that ramp personnel could prepare the gate for arrival. The captain of the B737-700 realized that his airplane was blocking the taxiway at the entry to the ramp, so he relayed a request through ramp tower to have the B737-800 move forward. Ramp tower relayed the request, and the captain of the B737-800 reportedly moved forward about 20 to 30 feet. The captain of the B737-700 began to taxi around the right side of the B737-800, but reported that the B737-800 did not taxi forward as far as he expected. The captain of the B-737-700 was concerned with the clearance between his left wingtip and the tail and the right wingtip of the B737-800. While shifting his attention between his wingtip and the B-737-800, he felt the shudder as the upper part of B737-700 left winglet contacted the outer part of the B737-800 right elevator. Substantial damage occurred to the right elevator of the B737-800.
The B737-700 pilot did not maintain adequate wing tip clearance while taxiing around the stopped B-737-800.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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