What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft was taxiing into the newly-constructed parking ramp/terminal at Lakeland Regional Airport. He was maneuvering to avoid a parked airplane on his right and preparing to do a modified u-turn to line up on a ramp attendant who was waving him in. The aircraft's outboard left wing leading edge struck a light pole which was installed only 4 feet from the edge of the tarmac. Damage appears substantial. The sheet metal behind the spar at the wing root was wrinkled, and the extended flap on this wing was in contact with the rear window of the aircraft. The wing's leading edge only had a small dent located 4 inches inboard from the wing tip. Subsequent investigation of the wing spar revealed that the spar itself was wrinkled at the rear spar attach point.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING INTO THE NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED PARKING RAMP/TERMINAL AT LAKELAND REGIONAL AIRPORT. HE WAS MANEUVERING TO AVOID A PARKED AIRPLANE ON HIS RIGHT AND PREPARING TO DO A MODIFIED U-TURN TO LINE UP ON A RAMP ATTENDANT WHO WAS WAVING HIM IN. THE AIRCRAFT'S OUTBOARD LEFT WING LEADING EDGE STRUCK A LIGHT POLE WHICH WAS INSTALLED ONLY 4 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE TARMAC. DAMAGE APPEARS SUBSTANTIAL. THE SHEET METAL BEHIND THE SPAR AT THE WING ROOT WAS WRINKLED, AND THE EXTENDED FLAP ON THIS WING WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE REAR WINDOW OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE WING'S LEADING EDGE ONLY HAD A SMALL DENT LOCATED 4 INCHES INBOARD FROM THE WING TIP. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION OF THE WING SPAR REVEALED THAT THE SPAR ITSELF WAS WRINKLED AT THE REAR SPAR ATTACH POINT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.