A B737-300 STRIKES ITS L ENG COWL AGAINST A JETWAY WHEN PARKING AT THE GATE IN AUS; TX.

Narrative

WE HAD JUST LANDED AND WERE HOLDING SHORT TO ALLOW COMPANY TFC TO EXIT THE ALLEY WAY AT AUS. WE SHUT DOWN #2 ENG. ONCE COMPANY CLRNC; PROCEEDED TO GATE. WE HAD A LEAD MARSHALLER AND WING WALKERS. AREA APPEARED CLR ON BOTH SIDES WITH JETWAY SHOVED BACK LATERALLY 12-15 FT. AS I CAME DOWN THE LINE STRAIGHT WITH #1 ENG AT IDLE AND WALKING SPD; I APCHED THE MARK; THE MARSHALLER RAISED HIS ARMS NORMALLY AND JUST AS HE CROSSED HIS WANDS I STOPPED THE ACFT -- BUT JUST BEFORE; I FELT LIKE THE ACFT HIT A CONCRETE EXPANSION CRACK. I NOTICED THAT THE MARSHALLER AT THAT TIME WAS VERY AGITATED -- NOT AT ME; BUT AT HIMSELF. THE JETWAY OPERATOR WAS FRANTICALLY WAVING AT HIM ALSO. HE THEN PLUGGED IN AND SAID WE HAD TO PUSH BACK AND PULL FORWARD TO FREE THE JETWAY. PAX WERE RESEATED AND MANEUVER COMPLETED. PARKING CHKLIST COMPLETED. #1 ENG COWL HAD STRUCK THE LOWEST POINT OF THE JET AT THE 1 O'CLOCK POS RESULTING IN 2 3 INCH BY 4 INCH HOLES IN COWL. WE WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO DO A MSY TURN BUT WERE REDISPATCHED TO AUS FOR PAX/SEATS (MD80 TO MSY INSTEAD). THIS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED SINCE AUS HAD JUST PUSHED OUT A B757 OUT OF GATE IN THE MORNING AND LEFT JETWAY THERE THINKING MD80 WAS INBOUND. I THOUGHT WITH 12-15 FT LATERAL JETWAY PUSHBACK WAS SUFFICIENT; BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHERE THE B737 MARK WAS. THE MARSHALLER PUT ME EXACTLY ON THE MARK BUT THE JETWAY WAS TOO FAR AFT (B757 POS). ONCE I WAS WELL ESTABLISHED ON LINE WITH SIDES CLR; I FIXATED ON MARSHALLER AND I MAY HAVE LOST TRACK HOW FAR FORWARD HE WAS TAKING ME (SITUATIONAL AWARENESS). RECOMMEND ALL JETWAYS RETRACTED TO A COMPLETE STOW POS REGARDLESS OF ACFT OR CHANGE OF ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 536155: 4 OR 5 RAMP AGENTS WATCHING AND WAITING TO DOWNLOAD. FLT ATTENDANTS CAME TO COCKPIT OR CALLED ON INTERPHONE. SAID WE HIT JETWAY. IT HAD BEEN LEFT AT THE B757 POS.