Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 17; Flight Crew Total 386; Flight Crew Type 298
Workload; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Ground Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
I departed my home base late afternoon and flew to OXC; arriving at approximately about a half hour later. I was flying solo (the sole occupant of the plane). Upon arriving at OXC; I requested taxi to the east side of field as I was meeting somebody there.  The tower gave me taxi instructions and I proceeded. As I went to make a 180 degree turn to park the plane into the tie down; I misjudged my clearance on the left hand side; causing the plastic wing tip to strike a chain-link fence at an angle of about 10 degrees. Immediately upon realizing what happened; I shut down the aircraft; and a line crew member in the area helped me push the plane off the fence and to a more suitable location. Inspection of the damage revealed broken strobe and nav lights; some paint damage; and a small dent on the front left corner of the plastic wing tip. I immediately called our Operations Officer and we decided to have the plane towed to the maintenance shop to get a disposition on the plane. When the plane was towed; the FBO staff were all in consensus that the damage was very minor and cosmetic; and that as long as we unscrewed the bracket for one of the lights and taped over the dangling wiring harness from the lights; the plane could be flown back. With help from the FBO; the bracket was unscrewed; the area taped over; and the aircraft was flown back to its home base without incident; arriving back still during daylight hours.It is noteworthy that multiple people noted to me that I was far from the first person to strike a fence in that area. I was shown other places where planes struck; and have been told that some planes have even practically taken the fence out. While I accept fault for misjudging my clearance on my left side; it appears as though this spot for some reason poses a problem for pilots. Perhaps further action should be taken in the future to make the parking in this area more pilot-friendly.
A single engine pilot taxiing and turning to a tie down spot reported striking the wingtip on a chain link fence at OXC. The plastic wingtip; nav light; and strobe were damaged. Maintenance secured the damaged area which allowed the pilot to return to his home base.