What happened
During nighttime operations in rainy conditions, an aircraft was taxiing into a gate area near several obstacles, including a building, a jetway, another parked aircraft, and a fuel truck. The fuel truck was positioned such that its rear end overhung into a designated safety zone.
A wing walker was assisting in guiding the airplane onto the ramp. However, the position of the fuel truck obstructed the wing walker's view of the left wing tip. The wing walker reported that they issued an emergency stop signal to the lead marshaler only after the left wing tip light was no longer visible behind the truck.
Although the lead marshaler immediately signaled the pilot to stop, the aircraft continued to roll while the pilot reacted and applied the brakes. This movement resulted in the left wing leading edge slat impacting the rear of the fuel truck, causing a dent in the slat's skin. No injuries were reported.
Findings
The investigation noted that the ramp area at the gate was congested. The painted markings on the ground were faded and difficult to see due to the combination of artificial lighting, wet pavement, and darkness. Additionally, it was noted that this specific fuel truck had been involved in a previous collision with the same aircraft type while parked at this same gate.