AN ACR MARSHALLER WAS STILL GIVING THE 'COME AHEAD' WHEN THE DC9-10'S WINGTIP STRUCK A FUEL TRUCK.

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RETURNED TO GATE DUE TO MECHANICAL. WHEN WE WERE APPROX 300 FT FROM THE GATE; A SIGNALMAN COMING FROM THE DIRECTION OF GATE (TO OUR L) APPEARED WITH WANDS. HE STOOD IN FRONT OF THE LEAD-IN LINE AND PROMPTLY PROCEEDED TO GIVE US A 'COME AHEAD' SIGNAL. AS WE INITIALLY APCHED THE GATE; A FUEL TRUCK WAS NOTED BTWN GATES. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SIGNALMAN APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD CTL; IN GOOD POS TO VIEW THE RAMP; AND WAS GIVING SOLID 'COME AHEAD' SIGNALS; I DIDN'T THINK THAT OBSTACLE CLRNC WAS A PROB. AS WE APCHED THE GATE; MY CONCENTRATION FOCUSED ON THE SIGNALMAN AS HE CONTINUED TO GIVE THE 'COME AHEAD' SIGNAL. APPROX 5 FT SHORT OF THE GATE; A SLIGHT JAR WAS FELT. THE FO AND I BOTH THOUGHT WE WERE CHOCKED EARLY. LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED THE L WINGTIP HAD CONTACTED THE FUEL TRUCK CAB. WHEN I VIEWED THE TRUCK FROM A DISTANCE; IT APPEARED TO BE STRADDLING A YELLOW SAFE ZONE LINE; BUT FROM THE STRONG 'COME AHEAD' SIGNALS WE WERE RECEIVING AND BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE MARSHALLER WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE GATE; RAMP; AND ACFT; I DIDN'T THINK OBSTACLE CLRNC WAS IN JEOPARDY. MY MISTAKE WAS TO TOTALLY TRUST SOMEONE ELSE; EVEN IF HE LOOKED EXTREMELY CONFIDENT IN HIS DIRECTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 312123: AFTER AN ABORTED TKOF; THE CAPT TAXIED THE ACFT BACK TO THE RAMP SO MAINT COULD TAKE CARE OF OUR PROB. I CALLED RAMP CTL AND NOTIFIED THEM THAT WE NEEDED SOMEONE TO PARK US. AT JUST ABOUT THAT TIME; I SAW SOMEONE RUNNING FROM THE ACFT PARKED AT GATE WHICH WAS TO OUR L; HE GRABBED A COUPLE BATONS; AND WITHOUT HESITATION MARSHALLED US INTO THE GATE.