Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 3500; Flight Crew Type 900
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Confusion
Ground Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Procedure; Airport
Primary student pilot taxiing the airplane; CFI supervising. Student turning into Runway 30 run-up area at WHP. As student turns the airplane into run-up area; Tower calls to reverse direction and taxi to Runway 12 as wind had shifted. Both student and CFI are distracted by radio call and student taxi's aircraft left wing too close to boundary fence and scrapes wingtip fairing and damages navigation light lens and bulb.Contributory factors were:1.) The yellow run-up boundary lines are placed approximately ten feet from boundary fence giving insufficient wingtip clearance for most general aviation aircraft; when using boundary lines for visual reference.2.) CFI unfamiliarity with non-standard Runway 30 run-up area boundary location marking.De-brief for student and CFU included:A) The priority of aviating (or taxiing) safely; following by navigation and communication; in that order.B) Being always aware to allow safe separation from other objects when taxiing.
A flight instructor reported that his student damaged the high wing aircraft's wingtip; navigation light and lens while maneuvering in the WHP Runway 30 runup area. Reportedly; taxi lines may be too close to the boundary fence.