Medium Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 5670; Flight Crew Type 135
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors; Procedure; Airport; Chart Or Publication
We completed all of our preflight responsibilities as well as the preflight and before starting engines checklists. Shortly afterward the passengers arrived; which was approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. We loaded the passenger's luggage and boarded the passengers for the last of 3 occupied legs.With a marshal out front and both crew members at their station; we completed the engine start checklist and then selected the automated passenger briefing message. With engines running we completed the after start / before taxing checklist.We then received taxi clearance to proceed from the FBO Northramp and proceed to Runway 16R via left on Alpha 2; left on Alpha; right on Charlie to Runway 16R. We were parked facing east directly in front of the FBO parallel to the perimeter fencing.We gave a single flash of the taxi light to the marshaller located directly in front of us. We agreed to suspend our taxi checklist until reaching the taxiway. We were approximately 60-70 feet from the building. The marshaller indicates for us to pull forward. We went approximately 5-10 feet when he indicated for us to turn to our right. Upon completing a 90 degree turn to the right and moving approximately 15-20 feet forward so that he was now standing to our left between the aircraft and the hangar. The marshaller indicates for us to continue straight ahead to exit the ramp; waves; and turns to walk back to the FBO entrance.We were now parallel to the FBO hangar; heading south-south east with a parked aircraft to our right and the last few 10 -15 feet of the hangar to our left. Continuing; we passed the first of two corporate jets; parked to our right and the first row of single engine aircraft in a perpendicular line to our left. There was more than ample clearance on either side of our aircraft to pass the first corporate jet and the first line of single-engine aircraft to our left.We are now approximately 80-100 feet past the end of the FBO hangar approaching the second line of single engine aircraft to our left. As we slowly moved forward it became apparent that the width available to us was becoming restricted by parked aircraft. The second of the corporate jets to our right is about 10 feet ahead of the light twin which is to our left. We came to a complete stop as it was now apparent that there was questionable distance to clear the parked aircraft with the light twin being the first of the two parked aircraft to negotiate. I then asked the co-pilot to radio the FBO for a marshaller. About 30 seconds later; after the co-pilot tuned the frequency but had not yet transmitted; a marshaller; that was present earlier; ran up along the left side of our aircraft and assessed our clearance of the light twin's wing. He gave the indication that we were clear by approximately 2 feet and waved us forward. With the co-pilot monitoring the right wing we slowly moved forward and as the marshaller indicated we were clear of the light twin's wing I began a slight turn to the left to allow greater clearance of the upcoming corporate jet to our right. Within moments and almost simultaneously; we felt a slight shudder and the co-pilot commanded for the aircraft to stop which was almost immediately accomplished.  After the incident we shut down the engines and began to investigate the situation. Our right winglet made contact with the radome of the corporate jet approximately 4-5 inches from the tip. We found that the parked light twin's wing was protruding +/- 4 feet over the single yellow line designating the movement area. The corporate jet was also over a line by several feet; but that line appeared to be covered by asphalt sealant when the ramp was last sealed. The marshaller should have directed us to conduct a 180 degree turn and exit FBO's ramp the way we had come in. Further; if exiting the ramp to the right; as instructed in this case; it is very difficult to detect the conflict without prior knowledge of the hot spot. Note that the diagram does not indicate or provide wing length restrictions to alert crews in advance despite the fact that after the incident one of the FBO ramp personnel explained that this was not the first time an incident of this nature occurred at that location.
In retrospect and after looking further; the reporter realized the FBO marshaller directed his aircraft out the ramp on a non taxiway and should not have. Because of his aircraft's swept wings; the First Officer could not see the extreme right wing tip which contacted the other aircraft. The reporter stated his aircraft's damage was minimal.
Our aircraft was parked near the southeast corner of an FBO Charter hangar and directly in front of FBO building with our nose pointing at the FBO entrance. As we began to taxi out for departure the ramp personnel signaled us to begin to taxi forward. As we started to roll forward he then motioned for us to begin a 90 degree right turn. As we were turning he gave hand signals to taxi down a taxiway which would take us alongside a flight school parking area on our left and two corporate jets on our right. He remained between us and the FBO building as we began to taxi out. As we continued our taxi; it appeared that further down the taxiway there was an area where a small aircraft from the flight school; on our left; and a corporate jet on our right; could possibly make for a tight taxi. As we taxied up closer we brought the aircraft to a stop in attempts to evaluate the situation and discuss options. As we did so a lineman ran up to our left wing to help guide us past the small aircraft. We both felt that this was an indication that our left wing was the critical issue. I attempted to continue to monitor the clearance of our right wing as we inched along and indicated I was still unsure of clearance as the wing was about five to ten feet from the corporate jet. At this point the pilot at the controls made a slight turn to the left as we cleared the small aircraft in attempts to create more clearance room for the corporate jet. As I was monitoring the right wing I suddenly noticed an increase in movement of the right wingtip due to the slight left turn. At this same time I identified that we did not have proper clearance and immediately instructed him to stop to which he responded immediately. Our right winglet contacted the nose (radome) of the corporate jet.After the incident we noticed that the left wing of the small aircraft was extending out beyond the parking area and into the movement area by approximately five or six feet. There also appeared to be a parking boundary line underneath the nose of the corporate jet to which the corporate jet's nose was across and into the movement area by approximately two or three feet. The boundary line underneath the corporate jet had been covered with asphalt sealant but due to the poor condition of the ramp we could not tell whether this line was no longer in use or had just been covered by past ramp seal coating and just needed to be repainted. We later heard from a few of the other FBO ramp personnel that they typically do not guide aircraft down that particular taxiway and that; from where we were parked; they instead have them turn 180 degrees to the right and then taxi behind where the corporate jet was located. This made us question why the ramp personnel did not motion us to do a 180 degree turn or remain on our nose during the turn to block the entrance to that taxiway as we taxied out. In addition; there was no posted literature in the FBO regarding local taxi out procedures; nor did the ground crew ever indicate to us that a 180 degree turn was the preferred method of exit from the ramp area. We were also told by other airport personnel; both FBO employees and others; that this is a common occurrence at the field.
An air taxi jet was marshaled from a VNY North Ramp FBO onto a non taxiway and into an area of parked aircraft. The air taxi wingtip struck a corporate jet's radome while maneuvering to clear a light twin wing which appeared to be parked about 4 feet off its parking spot.