AN MD90 STRUCK A BELT LOADER WHILE BEING GUIDED INTO A GATE INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE R WINGTIP.

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ACR; JUN 1997; PHX/SLC; WAS NORMAL UP UNTIL ARR AT GATE XX IN SLC. AS WE MADE A L TURN INTO THE GATE; I NOTICED A BELT LOADER WOULD BE OFF OUR R SIDE (NORMAL) AS WE APCHED THE GATE. IT CAUGHT MY ATTN ONLY BECAUSE THE BELT WAS STICKING UP IN THE AIR AT ABOUT A 45 DEG ANGLE. THERE WAS A WING WALKER NEAR THE BELT LOADER WITH HIS HANDS UP. THERE WAS ALSO A WING WALKER ON THE L SIDE OF OUR ACFT WITH HIS HANDS UP. WE HAD THE GREEN LIGHT ON (TFC LIGHTS FOR TAXIING INTO THE GATE) AND PROCEEDED INTO THE GATE. BOTH WING WALKERS STILL HAD THEIR HANDS UP WHEN WE LOST SIGHT OF THEM AS WE PULLED STRAIGHT INTO THE GATE. WE WERE ON THE LINE UP LINE AND AS WE APCHED THE STOPPING POINT WE FELT A SLIGHT THUMP. MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS WE HAD RUN OVER THE EXTERNAL PWR ELECTRICAL CORD. THE GREEN LIGHT WAS STILL ON AND I CONTINUED SLOWLY. THE LIGHT CHANGED IN NORMAL TIME SEQUENCE TO YELLOW AND THEN TO RED AS WE CAME TO A STOP. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER; ONE OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED ON THE INTERPHONE AND INFORMED US OUR R WINGTIP HAD HIT THE BELT LOADER BELT STICKING UP IN THE AIR. I COULD NOT GET A HOLD OF ANYONE ON THE RAMP; SO; AS SOON AS THE FRONT DOOR WAS OPENED; I WENT OUTSIDE TO INVESTIGATE. THE R WINGTIP DID HIT THE BELT LOADER AND WAS DAMAGED. NO PAX; CREW; OR RAMP PERSONNEL WERE INJURED. I CALLED LCL MAINT; FLT CTL; AND THE MAINT COORDINATOR; AND INFORMED THE GATE PERSONNEL. I TALKED WITH THE GND CREW. THE LIGHT OPERATOR AND THE L WING WALKER HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THE ACFT HAD EVEN HIT ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER WE HAD STOPPED AND PEOPLE STARTED LOOKING AT THE R WINGTIP. THE R WING WALKER TOLD ME; 'IT'S MY FAULT; I WASN'T LOOKING; I'M SORRY.' SLC MAINT GROUNDED THE ACFT AND THE FLT WAS DELAYED; WAITING ON AN EQUIP SUBSTITUTION. ONE OTHER THING THE L WING WALKER TOLD ME; 'IT WAS HIS FAULT;' BECAUSE HE FORGOT TO LOWER THE BELT BACK DOWN AFTER CHKING THE ENG (OIL AND WATER) ON THE BELT LOADER.