WDB CARGOLINER STRIKES TUG WHILE PARKING.

Narrative

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: XA20 AM DARK; RAMP UNLIGHTED. HUMAN FACTORS: CREW HAD BEEN UP ALL NIGHT. MECH/MARSHALLER WAS UP ALL NIGHT. I THINK CREW WAS LULLED INTO FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY (WHEN ENTERING GATE AND MARSHALLER DIRECTING US IN AS NORMAL). SUGGESTIONS TO MGR OF MAINT OF LAX: PUT SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING IN UNLIT AREAS. BETTER TRAIN MARSHALLING CREWS. DON'T PARK ANYTHING INSIDE FOUL LINES. APPROX XA18 LCL WE ENTERED THE RAMP AREA. WE ENTERED WITH A R TURN THEN AN IMMEDIATE L TURN INTO SPOT. THE LIGHTING CONDITION ON THE RAMP; PARTICULARLY SPOT X WAS PREDAWN (DARK TO GRAY). SPOT Y HAD NO SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING. TURNING L INTO THE GATE NOTHING DISCERNABLE APPEARED INSIDE THE FOUL LINES; EXCEPT FOR THE LIGHTED WANDS OF THE MAINT IN THIS TWR. COMPLETING THE L TURN ON CTRLINE TO SPOT Z; I ASKED THE FO IF HIS SIDE WAS CLR. HIS ANSWER WAS 'YES.' WE FOLLOWED THE MAINT COMMANDS TO TAXI FORWARD ON CTRLINE. APPROX 18 INCHES FROM THE TRAPEZE; THE PLANE STOPPED. THE MAINT SIGNALLED FORWARD AGAIN; I STARTED APPLYING PWR WHEN THE MAINT SIGNALLED QUICK STOP AND LEFT THE TWR. WE BLOCKED IN AT XB20 LCL; CONDUCTED NORMAL ENG SHUTDOWN AND TERMINATION CHKLIST. AFTER DEPLANING; I WENT LOOKING FOR THE MAINT TO FIND OUT WHY WE WERE STOPPED IN SUCH AN UNUSUAL MANNER. SEEING A GROUP OF MAINT BY ENG #3; I WENT OVER. THIS IS WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE #3 ENG HAD CONTACTED A TUG.