Date: 201305
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Aircraft: MD-82
Operating under: Part 121
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Technician
Reporter qualification: Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Technician
Anomaly: Ground Event / Encounter Vehicle
Detector: Person Maintenance

Narrative: Station: ZZZ. Conditions: Clear and dry. MD-82 aircraft was Out of Service (OTS) and repaired. The Aircraft was set to go out on an outbound revenue trip [in approximately] one hour. I was on my normal  Dayshift duty.  Two AMTs worked the acft while OTS. Mechanic Y was on Days-off overtime. Mechanic Z was a holdover from night shift.  The Ramp Coordinator phoned and asked if we could taxi the acft to Gate X. After confirming with Mechanic Y and Z; they said 'yes.' The acft was parked in the West Cargo Ramp Spot X. Aircraft Nose toward the airport security boundary fence.  The ramp was clear around the acft. No aircraft parked near it. Mechanic Z rode right seat and verbally told me he would make a right turn off the spot. I; as Mechanic X; was the Guideman. Mechanic Y rode Left seat. I gave clearance to start engines. Engines were started and I positioned myself in front and slightly right of the acft nose; next to a De-icing truck boom protruding out from the fence line. In my judgement; that point would be nearest the LH wingtip arc at taxi out. I gave the cockpit clearance to move forward and then Right turn. As the LH wingtip came around to my position the wingtip moved quickly; I signaled to continue. The tip cleared my position by three feet. At this point the cockpit was no longer in my line of sight and I could not walk; or run; to keep up with the fast moving wingtip. Also; I knew jet blast was coming. I watched as the wingtip moved farther left; not right; and struck a panel truck parked along the fence approx 36-steps away. The wingtip pushed the truck over onto its right side and traveled up and over the truck. The aircraft stopped after a short distance. I walked quickly to the right side of the acft in sight of the cockpit.  Waved to get their attention and motioned for them to taxi around 180-degrees and I parked them at Spot Y. The acft was chocked and shutdown. A ZZZ Fire Department pick-up truck was in the area and stopped to assess the damage. Time pressure.  1). As the wingtip made its arc; it's travel took a path farther to the left then perceived. 2). Pressure to place the acft on the gate quickly for a un-anticipated outbound revenue trip. The acft was previously [scheduled as] a Ferry repositioning trip. In the case of a Ferry; the Flight crew would have taken the acft from the Maintenance parking spot. 3). Not enough personnel available to accomplish the task. Ramp did not have a crew available to tow. Maintenance is not equipped to tow. The Taxi Procedure had been accomplished in the past from the same area. 4). Several pieces of Ground equipment positioned and parked along the fence line. [Recommend] 1). More personnel required to man [staff] the Station for safety.2). Disallow taxi from parking spots along the fence line.3). Remove equipment from along the fence line.


Second narrative: Requested to taxi MD-82 aircraft from West Cargo Ramp parking [spot] to Gate X. Mechanic Z was in the Right seat; I; [as Mechanic Y] was in the Left seat; Mechanic X was the Wing Walker.  We got clearance from Tower to taxi to the gate; received clearance [from Mechanic X] to start engines and release brakes and started taxi.  Performed hard right hand turn; aircraft wingtip (left) struck Ground vehicle at XA:30pm.  Lack of Ground personnel to tow aircraft. Congestion of Ground vehicles being parked in area of aircraft parking. [Recommend] tow only from this parking area and adjusting parking stripes for more clearance. Time pressure. Lack of [adequate] Staff.


Synopsis: Two technicians and a Line Lead Mechanic describe how their local Airport Operations Department policy of allowing Ground equipment vehicles to park exceedingly close to aircraft parking lines and overhanging designated vehicle lanes; had contributed to the Left wingtip of their MD-82 aircraft striking a Ground vehicle during his taxi to a Terminal Gate.