WDB BEING GUIDED TO GATE IS HIT BY TUG.

Narrative

AS WE APCHED GATE X ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE RAMP WE OBSERVED THE ACCUPARK (SELF-PARKING SYS) WAS INOP; A GUIDEMAN WAS IN POS TO GUIDE US IN; THE IMMEDIATE AREA FOR GATE X APPEARED CLR BUT THERE WAS AN WDB BEING LOADED AT GATE Y WITH NUMEROUS GND EQUIP IN ITS VICINITY. PARKING REQUIRED A SHARP 90 DEG R TURN UNDER CTL OF GUIDEMAN; THEN ROLLING STRAIGHT FOR APPROX 50 FT TO POS DOOR 2L BY JETWAY. ABOUT 2 FT SHORT OF STOP LINE THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHT RESISTANCE AND STOPPED. AFTER FIRST INDICATION FOR US TO ROLL AHEAD GUIDEMAN CHANGED TO PARK SIGN. AFTER DEPLANING IT WAS DISCOVERED THE LOWER LIP OF #1 ENG COWL HAD CONTACTED A BAGGAGE CART TUG CAUSING A 2 INCH BY 12 INCH DENT. NONE OF THE 3 PLTS INVOLVED NOR THE GUIDEMAN (LICENSED MECH) HAD OBSERVED THE TUG BEFORE OR DURING PARKING. AT THE TIME OF THIS RPT IT HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED IF THE TUG HAD ALWAYS BEEN PRESENT OR IF THE TUG HAD PULLED AWAY FROM GATE ON OUR L SIDE AND THE DRIVER HAD NOT BEEN WATCHING AHEAD; AND HAD JUST GOTTEN IN OUR WAY AT THE LAST MOMENT. THE TUG DRIVER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PRESENT AND WORKING WAS NOT TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE. IF THE TUG HAD MOVED IN AT THE LAST MOMENT IT WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN VISIBLE TO GUIDEMAN AS HE HAS TO MOVE TO HIS R (OUR L) TO BE VISIBLE OUT CAPT'S SIDE WINDOW. PROBLEM -- TO CUT COSTS AIRLINE USES EITHER SELF PARKING SYS OR ONLY ONE GUIDEMAN TO PARK ACFT. PUSHBACK IS USUALLY ONE PERSON ALSO. THIS LEAVES L SIDE OF ACFT UNOBSERVED AS CAPT HAS TO CONCENTRATE ON PARKING GUIDANCE AND COPLT CANNOT SEE ANYTHING LOW OR CLOSE OUT L SIDE. PROBLEM IS WORSE ON WIDEBODIES. SOLUTION -- MOST AIRLINES USE 1 OR 2 ADDITIONAL GND OBSERVERS DURING PARKING AND PUSHBACK FOR ACFT MLG SIZE OR LARGER.