BAGGAGE BELT LOADER VEHICLE RUNS INTO MLG ENG COWLING AT GATE CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO COWLING.

Narrative

ON APCHING THE GATE IN DTW; I OBSERVED THE AREA CLR OF OBSTACLES AND CONTINUED TAXIING FOLLOWING THE MARSHALLER'S HAND SIGNALS. HE WAS EQUIPPED WITH APPROPRIATE WANDS WAVED ME INTO THE GATE TO A NORMAL STOP. EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL INCLUDING A SLOW; EASY STOP SIGNAL. AFTER THE PAX DEPLANED; A MECH CAME UP; AND TO OUR SURPRISE TOLD US WE HAD A BELT LOADER WITH OUR #1 ENG COWLING. WE DID NOT BELIEVE HIM INITIALLY BECAUSE EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL. WE WENT TO LOOK; AND SURE ENOUGH; THE #1 ENG COWL WAS ON TOP OF A BELT LOADER. THERE ARE NO CARGO DOORS ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT; SO I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS DOING ON THAT SIDE ANYWAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER CAPT ON THE JUMPSEAT; AND HE CONFIRMED THE AREA WAS CLR WHEN I WAS APCHING THE GATE. AT SOME POINT; I SHIFTED MY EYES TO FOLLOW THE MARSHALLER'S INSTRUCTIONS; AND WAS NOT LOOKING AT THE SIDE OF THE ACFT; HOWEVER; WHERE CONTACT WAS MADE; I DO NOT BELIEVE I COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN THERE WHILE I WAS TAXIING IN. THE DIRECTION IT WAS POINTED WAS AS IT HAD APCHED IN A 'L QUARTERING TAILWIND' DIRECTION (ANGLED FROM REAR) AND THERE WERE SKID MARKS -- LONG SKID MARKS (10-12 FT LONG) NEXT TO THE BELT LOADER. A COUPLE OF IDEAS AS TO WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE BELT LOADER COULD HAVE PULLED UP INTO THE AREA AFTER I WAS WATCHING THE MARSHALLER (WHO DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED WING WALKERS; WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER...); OR AFTER THE JETWAY BLOCKED MY VISION IN THAT AREA. ANOTHER IDEA; I FOUND OUT THAT BELT LOADERS HAVE FORWARD; REVERSE; AND NEUTRAL -- NO PARK GEAR. THE BELT HAD NOT BEEN SET FROM THE GATE NEXT DOOR (THERE WERE CARGO DOORS ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT TO THE L OF ME). NOBODY FESSED UP TO DRIVING THAT BELT LOADER (EVER).