DC8-61 STRUCK 2 BELT LOADERS WHILE BEING GUIDED TO PARKING SPOT AT OAK.

Narrative

WE WERE BEING MARSHALLED INTO OUR PARKING SPOT AT THE CARGO AREA AT OAK; CA. WHILE THERE IS ALWAYS GND EQUIP AROUND THE PARKING AREA; NOTHING APPEARED TO BE A HAZARD AS WE APCHED THE GATE. THE MARSHALLER DIRECTED US IN; STOPPED US IN THE GATE; AND INDICATED WE WERE CHOCKED AND HAD EXTERNAL PWR. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE SHUTDOWN CHKLIST. AS WE EXITED THE ACFT COCKPIT; THE MECH CAME ON BOARD AND ADVISED US THAT WE HAD BEEN MARSHALLED INTO 2 BELT LOADERS WITH #4 ENG. THIS WAS THE FIRST INDICATION WE HAD THAT THE ACFT HAD STRUCK ANYTHING. THERE HAD BEEN NO WING WALKERS NOR ANY INDICATION FROM THE MARSHALLER TO STOP; OR THAT WE HAD STRUCK ANYTHING. NEITHER THE FO NOR MYSELF OBSERVED ANYTHING FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW FROM THE COCKPIT WHILE APCHING; THAT EQUIP WAS TOO CLOSE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT JUDGING DISTANCE FROM THE COCKPIT INDICATES THINGS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR. THE #4 ENG AIR SCOOP WAS DAMAGED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 434017: BETTER AWARENESS BY THE GND CREW COULD HAVE PREVENTED CONTACT. ALSO; HAD THE GND CREW ADHERED TO THE SAFETY ZONES PAINTED ON THE RAMP; THE EQUIP WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE PATH OF THE ACFT. THIS IS A CASE OF ALLOWING SCHEDULE PRESSURE TO INTERFERE WITH SAFE AND PRUDENT OPS.