American Airlines flight 1005, a Boeing 737-800, N834NN, struck a light pole while taxing for takeoff at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, USA. According to the flight crew, this was the captain’s first flight of the month after being on vacation, and it was the first officer’s (FO) first day back flying since September 2020 due to furlough. The flight crew indicated that prior to pushback, they had setup the airplane for a south departure from DFW. However, after being pushed back, they completed the After Start Checklist and then noticed that the other traffic was departing to the north. After confirming this by tuning in the Automated Terminal Information System (ATIS), they updated their departure clearance before calling the ramp for taxi clearance. The captain stated that the airplane must have veered left of centerline as he and the FO’s attention was focused inside the cockpit as they were reconfiguring the instruments. The captain indicated that the left wing struck a light pole, as he was adjusting the course and heading knobs. The captain stopped the airplane, called ground control, and the airplane was subsequently towed back to the gate. Post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the left wing, including damage to the number 1 leading edge slat, wing skin, front spar, and track ribs. Probable cause: The captain’s decision to adjust his flight instruments while taxiing the airplane.