What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: after landing on dca runway 36 at night, ual 626, N7451U, a Boeing 727-200, was cleared to taxi to gate 26. While taxiing onto the gate 26 ramp, the aircraft struck a chain link construction fence with its right wing. Investigation revealed that because it was night time, there were bright lights in the construction area on the gate 26 ramp. The lights reflected on the black paint that was painted on the old lead-in-line. This reflection made the old lead-in line to appear to be the correct lead-in-line to the gate. In addition to these factors, the fence had been placed too close to gate 26 by the airport. To prevent future incidents of this nature, dca operations had the black paint and old lead-in-line ground out. A new yellow lead-in-line was then relocated on the perpendicular to the terminal building for a safer and better approach to gate 26.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: AFTER LANDING ON DCA RUNWAY 36 AT NIGHT, UAL 626, N7451U, A BOEING 727-200, WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO GATE 26. WHILE TAXIING ONTO THE GATE 26 RAMP, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A CHAIN LINK CONSTRUCTION FENCE WITH ITS RIGHT WING. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NIGHT TIME, THERE WERE BRIGHT LIGHTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AREA ON THE GATE 26 RAMP. THE LIGHTS REFLECTED ON THE BLACK PAINT THAT WAS PAINTED ON THE OLD LEAD-IN-LINE. THIS REFLECTION MADE THE OLD LEAD-IN LINE TO APPEAR TO BE THE CORRECT LEAD-IN-LINE TO THE GATE. IN ADDITION TO THESE FACTORS, THE FENCE HAD BEEN PLACED TOO CLOSE TO GATE 26 BY THE AIRPORT. TO PREVENT FUTURE INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE, DCA OPERATIONS HAD THE BLACK PAINT AND OLD LEAD-IN-LINE GROUND OUT. A NEW YELLOW LEAD-IN-LINE WAS THEN RELOCATED ON THE PERPENDICULAR TO THE TERMINAL BUILDING FOR A SAFER AND BETTER APPROACH TO GATE 26.
Other reports on N7451U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.