What happened
During taxi operations toward the gate, a Boeing 737 approached the J-line. The jetway had been previously positioned for an MD-80, which required a lower entry level than the arriving aircraft. As the plane was approximately 8 feet from the final stop bar, it lurched as if the brakes had been applied rapidly. The captain reported that he did not use landing or taxi lights during the approach to the gate and noted that the aircraft stopped unexpectedly, leading him to believe the brakes may have grabbed. After applying a small amount of power without movement, the engines were shut down.
The operations supervisor observed that while the jet bridge appeared close to the J-line, she believed there would be sufficient clearance as the plane turned in. The gate agent, who was also operating the jetway, was occupied with a customer issue and did not move onto the jetway until the aircraft was approaching the J-line. Upon realizing a collision was imminent, the agent attempted to contact the ramp via radio but was unable to prevent the contact.
The investigation
Post-incident inspection of the Boeing 737 revealed that the left engine inlet had made contact with the jetway, resulting in a 3-inch scratch at the 12 o'clock position.
Findings
An investigation into the incident identified several contributing factors. The left wing walker, who had been on the job for six days, took responsibility for the incident, stating he did not perceive the jet bridge as a threat and failed to notice the impending collision until it was too late. The right wing walker was unaware that an incident was occurring. Additionally, the operations supervisor reported receiving no signals from the wing walkers during the maneuver.