A DC9 BEING GUIDED OFF A GATE STRUCK A JETWAY INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE L WINGTIP AND LEADING EDGE.

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THIS LETTER IS IN REGARDS TO A SIT THAT OCCURRED IN NEWPORT NEWS; VA; ON SEP/XA/98. THIS WAS THE START OF MY SECOND CONTINUOUS DUTY OVERNIGHT AT AN ARPT THAT I WAS TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH. ON A NORMAL DAILY BASIS; WE USUALLY PWR BACK THE ACFT USING THE DC9'S OWN ENGS. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY; THE MARSHALLER WAVED US FORWARD; HOWEVER; NEVER GIVING US THE SIGNAL TO STOP AND PWR BACK. INSTEAD; THE MARSHALLER PUT HIS HANDS TO HIS SIDE AND PERHAPS WAITED FOR THE CAPT TO START HIS TURN AWAY FROM THE JETWAY. AS WE BEGAN TO MAKE THE R TURN IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE CAPT KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING AND THE MARSHALLER NEVER GAVE ANY SIGNALS THAT WE WERE IN ANY KIND OF DANGER. WHEN THE MARSHALLER DISAPPEARED FROM MY SIGHT IN THE TURN; I BEGAN TO LOOK OUT MY R WINDOW TO MAKE SURE THAT MY WING WAS CLR. IT WAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS (2-3) LATER THAT THE BRAKES AND THE IMPACT OF THE JETWAY SEEM TO HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY ON THE L-HAND SIDE OF THE ACFT. FINALLY; I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO AVOID THIS SIT. I HAD JUST FINISHED MY IOE AND DID NOT HAVE ANY PRIOR EXPERIENCE FLYING INTO THIS ARPT.