A COMMERCIAL FIXED WING MDT WHILE BEING GUIDED ONTO A GATE STRUCK AN IMPROPERLY PARKED BELT LOADER INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE LOWER L WINGTIP.

Narrative

RAMP CTL DIRECTED US TO GATE XY; RAMP Z; WXYZ. ONCE WE ENTERED THE RAMP; THE PLANE WAS MET BY 3 RAMP WORKERS. ONE OF THE RAMP PERSONNEL DIRECTED THE PLANE TO THE GATE. APPROX 5-10 FT FROM THE GATE; I FELT AND HEARD A BUMP ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. THE RAMP WORKER; WHO WAS DIRECTING THE PLANE; SIGNALED FOR US TO STOP. BY THIS TIME; WE WERE AT THE GATE. AT NO TIME PRIOR TO REACHING THE GATE DID ANY GND PERSONNEL SIGNAL FOR US TO STOP THE ACFT. THE PAX BEGAN TO DISEMBARK THE ACFT. I EXITED THE COCKPIT TO INSPECT THE PLANE AND TO LEARN WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE BUMP. AS I EXITED; FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT A PAX HAD WITNESSED THE PLANE IMPACT SOME GND EQUIP. WHEN I REACHED THE JETWAY; I THEN INQUIRED OF A RAMP PERSON WHETHER THE PLANE HAD STRUCK SOMETHING. HE RESPONDED THAT THE PLANE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING; BUT THAT THE PLANE HAD PASSED OVER A FUEL TRAP. I PROCEEDED DOWN THE JETWAY TO INSPECT THE AIRPLANE. I NOTICED A GASH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINGTIP. SUBSEQUENTLY; THE FO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A WITNESS TO WHAT HAD OCCURRED; WHO WAS STANDING IN THE JETWAY. I SPOKE WITH THE WITNESS WHO EXPLAINED THAT THE WINGTIP HAD GRAZED A BELT LOADER THAT WAS PARKED WITHIN THE ORANGE CONES AND YELLOW LINES. THE WITNESS WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT A RAMPER; WHO THE WITNESS IDENTED; MOVED THE LOADER AWAY FROM THE ACFT AFTER THE WINGTIP GRAZED IT; AND MOMENTS LATER REPOSITIONED THE LOADER TOWARD THE REAR BAGGAGE DOOR.