CL65 WINGTIP STRIKE ON A BAGGAGE CART THAT WAS PARKED INSIDE THE SAFETY LINE AT PHL; PA.

Narrative

WHILE TAXIING INTO GATE AT PHL; I STOPPED APPROX 40 FT SHORT OF THE BLOCKS TO AWAIT A MARSHALLER. WHILE THE MARSHALLER OBTAINED WANDS; THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE PROX OF A BAG CART PARKED BTWN GATES X AND Y. WHEN THE MARSHALLER COMMENCED MARSHALLING; FO AND I BOTH GESTURED 2 OR 3 TIMES; IN THE FORM OF POINTING; AT THE BAG CART. MARSHALLER CEASED MARSHALLING TO EVALUATE THE SIT; THEN RESUMED MARSHALLING AND INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI AHEAD TO THE GATE. I TAXIED SLOWER THAN NORMAL SPD AND WATCHED THE WING CLOSELY. AS I APCHED THE BLOCKS; THE MARSHALLER CROSSED THE WANDS. IT APPEARED BY HIS EXPRESSION THAT WE HAD CONTACTED THE BAG CART. I LOOKED BACK AT THE L WINGTIP AND IT APPEARED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THE BAG CART. SOMEONE THEN MOVED THE CART. I MADE AN AFML ENTRY AND CONTACTED MAINT CTL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NO TRAINING WITH REGARD TO ACR RAMP SAFETY ZONES. POOR SAFETY ZONE PAINT VISIBILITY. NO SAFETY ZONE STANDARDIZATION. NO WING WALKER UTILIZATION. POOR JUDGEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE RAMP LEAD/MARSHALLER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 614145: A 'RAMP LEAD' PERSON CAME OVER FROM THE GATE NEXT TO US; BEGAN WAVING HIS ARMS; MARSHALLING US FORWARD INTO THE GATE. THE CAPT DID NOT MOVE THE ACFT YET; AND SAID TO ME; WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE BAGGAGE CART? (THERE WAS A CART PARKED TO OUR L SIDE.) I SAID 'IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS ON THE LINE. HE LEFT THE PARKING BRAKE ON; AND BEGAN POINTING TO THE L; TO THE CART. I ALSO BEGAN TO POINT TOWARD IT; THINKING HE MUST SEE BOTH OF US POINTING. HE STOPPED MOTIONING HIS ARMS FOR A FEW SECONDS; THEN BEGAN MARSHALLING US IN AGAIN. THE CAPT RELEASED THE BRAKES AND BEGAN MOVING FORWARD. I SAID 'DON'T TRUST IT;' BUT HE KEPT MOVING SLOWLY; SAYING THE L WAS CLR AS HE LOOKED OUT HIS L WINDOW. JUST AS THE MARSHALLER GAVE A STOP SIGNAL; I COULD FEEL A SLIGHT 'BUMP.' I IMMEDIATELY WENT OUTSIDE TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE; AFTER OUR 11 PAX EXITED THE ACFT. RAMP PERSONNEL (ABOUT 4) AND 2 MECHS WERE ALREADY LOOKING AT THE WINGLET; AND THE CART WAS ALREADY MOVED AWAY FROM THE WING. THE DAMAGE TO THE WINGLET WAS A LARGE SCRAPE; APPROX 1/4 INCH IN DEPTH AT CTR. THE SCRAPE WAS APPROX 8-10 INCHES LONG AND 1/2-1 INCH WIDE. THE MARSHALLER ADMITTED HE WAS AT FAULT; AND THE CHIEF PLT SAID THERE WOULD BE NO ACTION TAKEN. FIRST OF ALL; I WAS ANGERED THAT THE CAPT HAD NOT LISTENED TO ME. I LEARNED LONG AGO TO JUST SIT AND WAIT UNTIL RAMP PERSONNEL MOVES ANY GND EQUIP. DON'T EVEN TRUST THAT YOU ARE CLR IF YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE. NOW I'VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT IT IS TRUE. THAT IS AN EXCELLENT RULE TO FOLLOW. I THINK THE CAPT HAS LEARNED A HARD-LEARNED LESSON ALSO. ALSO; I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE TO THE CAPT; NOT LETTING HIM JUST BLOW OFF MY OPINION; WHICH HE HAD ASKED FOR TO BEGIN WITH. I SHOULD HAVE SAID TO STOP; I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH US MOVING THE ACFT. ANOTHER LESSON LEARNED THE HARD WAY.