AT SJU; PR; THE WINGTIP OF A B727 STRUCK A CATERING TRUCK WHILE THE CREW WAS FOLLOWING THE MARSHALLER'S AND WING WALKER'S GUIDANCE TO THE GATE. THE CAPT STATES THAT THE CREW IS UNABLE TO VIEW THE SWEPT WING'S CLRNC FROM THE COCKPIT AND CITES CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF POOR LIGHTING; JETWAYS THAT CAUSE VISUAL OBSTRUCTION; AND LACK OF MARSHALLER AND WING WALKER COORD.
Synopsis
AT SJU; PR; THE WINGTIP OF A B727 STRUCK A CATERING TRUCK WHILE THE CREW WAS FOLLOWING THE MARSHALLER'S AND WING WALKER'S GUIDANCE TO THE GATE. THE CAPT STATES THAT THE CREW IS UNABLE TO VIEW THE SWEPT WING'S CLRNC FROM THE COCKPIT AND CITES CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF POOR LIGHTING; JETWAYS THAT CAUSE VISUAL OBSTRUCTION; AND LACK OF MARSHALLER AND WING WALKER COORD.
Narrative
AFTER LNDG AT SJU; PR; RWY 8; WE CLRED THE RWY BY INTXN U THEN PROCEEDED DOWN ON TXWY S TO TXWY N WHERE WE TURNED L. WE FOLLOWED THE TXWY LINE TO THE S RAMP TO OUR GATE. WE OBSERVED THE AREA AND PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE MARSHALLER'S AND WING WALKER'S SIGNALED COMMANDS TO THE JETWAY. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE AREA HAS SEVERAL BLIND SPOTS DUE TO POS OF THE LIGHTING AND JETWAYS. THIS IS WHY THE MARSHALLER RELIES ON WING WALKERS FOR OBSTRUCTION CLRNCS. DUE TO THE SWEPT WING DESIGN OF THE B727; THE WINGS ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE COCKPIT SO WE MUST RELY ON THE MARSHALLER FOR GUIDANCE. WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE YELLOW LINE TO OUR GATE WHEN; APPROX 8-10 FT PRIOR TO THE STOP MARK WE FELT A SLIGHT LURCH. I TURNED TO THE FO AND ASKED HIM IF EVERYTHING WAS FINE ON HIS SIDE. HE REPLIED BACK TO ME 'ALL CLR OVER HERE ON THE R.' I DECIDED NOT TO MOVE THE ACFT UNTIL I DETERMINED WHAT WAS WRONG. AFTER CLBING OUT THE WINDOW I REALIZED THAT WE STRUCK A CATERING TRUCK; LATER TO LEARN THAT SLAT #1 WAS DAMAGED. AFTER DECIDING TO STOP THE AIRPLANE; THE MARSHALLER WAS STILL SIGNALING TO COME FORWARD. AFTER SECURING THE AIRPLANE I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE PORT AUTH AND THE LINEMAN. IN THE CONVERSATION THE WING WALKER INDICATED THAT HE SIGNALED STOP TO THE MARSHALLER; THE MARSHALLER ADMITTED HE WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE WING WALKER'S SIGNAL; AND STILL CONTINUED THE TOWARD SIGNAL BECAUSE HE THOUGHT WE HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO PASS BY. I HAD THE SO TAKE PICTURES OF ALL PERTINENT ANGLES OF THE ACFT AND TRUCK. I ADVISED THE RAMP AGENT AND MAINT NOT TO MOVE ANYTHING UNTIL THE AUTHS ARRIVED. I MADE A RPT WITH THE PORT AUTH AND THE LCL POLICE AND LATER I HAD AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FAA (PUERTO RICO FSDO).
More incidents for this aircraft family →
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.