WHILE BEING MARSHALLED INTO GATE; MD82 WINGTIP HITS FUEL TRUCK.

Date: 1995-11 · Aircraft: MD-82

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

WHILE BEING MARSHALLED INTO GATE; MD82 WINGTIP HITS FUEL TRUCK.

Narrative

WE TAXIED CLR OF THE RWY AND PROCEEDED UP TO THE GATE. AS I MADE THE TURN INTO THE GATE; I NOTICED THE MARSHALLER INITIATING MY TURN TO THE LINE SOMEWHAT EARLIER THAN I WOULD HAVE TURNED MYSELF; TO 'SQUARE' THE FUSELAGE WITH THE GATE. HE THEN GAVE A 'SLOW TAXI' SIGNAL. I INSTRUCTED MY COPLT TO SECURE THE R ENG AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE MARSHALLER THEN SUDDENLY GAVE THE 'STOP' SIGNAL AND I APPLIED MAX BRAKING. WE STOPPED APPROX 10 FT FROM THE GATE. AS I DIDN'T KNOW WHY HE HAD DONE THIS; I OPENED MY CLEAR-VIEW WINDOW TO SEE MY L WINGTIP EXTREMELY CLOSE TO A PARKED FUEL TRUCK. I NOTICED THAT THE TRUCK WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE YELLOW REF LINES. WE REMAINED STATIONARY FOR AT LEAST 3 MINS WHEN I SAW 2 COMPANY MECHS LOOKING AT THE WINGTIP. I INQUIRED IF WE HAD HIT THE TRUCK USING HAND GESTURES; AND BOTH INDICATED A 'THUMBS UP.' I TOOK THIS TO MEAN THAT WE HAD NOT. MEANWHILE; THE FUELER HAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE ACFT IT HAD BEEN FUELING AND MOVED FORWARD. THE MARSHALLER THEN SIGNALED ME TO PROCEED IN; AND I DID. AFTER PARKING AND SECURING THE L ENG; WE ACCOMPLISHED THE PARKING CHKLIST. I ASKED BOTH MY COPLT AND JUMP SEAT RIDER IF THEY FELT I WAS TAXIING TOO FAST; AND WAS ANSWERED 'NO' BY BOTH. I WENT OUT TO THE RAMP TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND SAW THAT THE MECHS WERE NOW ON A STAND NEXT TO THE WINGTIP. THE MECHS TOLD ME THAT THE WING HAD; IN FACT CONTACTED THE FUEL TRUCK. I ASKED TO WHAT EXTENT THE DAMAGE WAS; AND THEY SAID THAT THE SKIN ON THE OUTER WINGTIP HAD BEEN SCRATCHED; AND A STATIC DISCHARGE WICK HAD BEEN BROKEN. I VERBALLY RPTED THIS TO FLT CTL AND THE CHIEF PLT. THE MECHS TOLD ME THAT THE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL; AND THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP PAIRING. THE WINGTIP SCRATCHES WERE REPAIRED PER CDL 23-60-01 AND THE STATIC WICK DEFERRED PER DMI 4955; AND WE CONTINUED TO SNA AND BACK WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PREVAILING WX CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE -X 10 SCATTERED 1 1/2 F 54/53 CALM 30.10. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE WX HAD ANY EFFECT IN THE OUTCOME OF THIS INCIDENT. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT I WAS TAXIING AT A NORMAL RATE; AND WITH THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE (APPROX 125000 LBS); I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE REACHED AN EXCESSIVE RATE WITHOUT PWRING UP. I HAD TAXIED IN FROM YANKEE TXWY ON IDLE THRUST. I HAVE SINCE DISCUSSED THIS WITH CHIEF PLT; AND ASSURED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN FOUND TO BE NEGLIGENT; OR AT FAULT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.