MD80 CREW HIT A FUEL TRUCK WHILE PARKING AT THE GATE.
Synopsis
MD80 CREW HIT A FUEL TRUCK WHILE PARKING AT THE GATE.
Narrative
WINGTIP/FUEL TRUCK CONTACT. COMPLETED FLT TO SJC. TAXIED TO THE GATE. I HELD THE ACFT SHORT OF GATE AREA WHILE MARSHALLERS GOT TO THEIR APPROPRIATE POS. THERE WAS A FUEL TRUCK PULLED UNDER THE WING OF AN ACFT FUELING THE ACFT. THERE WAS A GUIDEMAN AND 2 WING WALKERS IN POS WITH WANDS AND ANOTHER RAMP PERSON ON THE R SIDE. ALL MARSHALLERS PROVIDED WAND POS OF CLR TO TAXI IN. GUIDEMAN BEGAN WAVING ME IN. FROM ALL INDICATIONS; THE WING WALKER ON THE L SIDE INDICATED THAT ALL WAS CLR. HE PASSED OFF MY L; OUT OF VIEW; AND I SHORTLY THEREAFTER FELT A THUMP WHICH FELT LIKE I RAN OVER SOMETHING. THE GUIDEMAN KEPT WAVING ME IN. A RAMPER RAN UP FROM THE L SIDE WAIVING TO THE GUIDEMAN TO GIVE ME A STOP SIGNAL. SEEING THIS; I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY; PRIOR TO HIS SIGNAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; HE CONTINUED SIGNALING ME TO THE PARKING POS. THE RAMPER CAME UP AND ADVISED ME THAT I HAD CLIPPED THE FUEL TRUCK WITH MY WINGTIP. I CALLED DISPATCH AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THE CHIEF PLT. I OVERHEARD A FEMALE IN THE TERMINAL MAKING A STATEMENT TO HER HUSBAND ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND I ASKED HER IF SHE SAW IT. SHE SAID YES AND THAT THE WING WALKER WASN'T PAYING ANY ATTN TO THE WINGTIP AND THAT IS NO WONDER THAT ACCIDENTS HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE DON'T DO THEIR JOBS. SHE GAVE ME HER PHONE NUMBER AND ADVISED ME THAT SHE WON'T BE BACK FOR A WEEK. AFTER TALKING TO THE CHIEF PLT I CONTINUED MY SEQUENCE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.