AN A319'S L ENG COWL STRUCK A JETWAY AFTER THE MARSHALLER GAVE THE CAPT A LATE STOP SIGNAL AT AN IMPROPERLY POSITIONED JETWAY.

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LANDED RWY 8L. AFTER CLRING RWY; FO RECEIVED GATE X AS OUR GATE; WHICH IS NOT SHOWN ON THE ARPT PAGE. HE THEN ASKED OPS WHERE THE GATE WAS LOCATED AND THEY INFORMED US IT WAS BY GATE Y. I TRANSITIONED INTO A SINGLE ENG TAXI AND TAXIED FOR APPROX 16 MINS. I ENTERED THE RAMP AREA AND IDENTED THE GATE. THERE WERE 2 LEAD-IN LINES (XA OR XB). I ELECTED TO LINE UP ON XA AND STOPPED APPROX 150 FT FROM GATE. AFTER COMPLETING THE STOP; I SAW THE GUIDE PERSON RUN OUT AND STARTED MARSHALLING ME IN ON THE XA LINE. WE FOLLOWED THE GUIDE PERSON'S INSTRUCTIONS AND THE TAXI SPD WAS AROUND 3 KTS. THE FO AND I TALKED ABOUT THE PLACEMENT OF A PWR CART LOCATED TO THE R OF THE TAXI LINE AND AROUND THE STOP MARKS. I ASKED THE FO TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE PWR CART. I KEPT FOLLOWING THE GUIDE PERSON AND THE FO WATCHED FOR THE CLRNC ON THE EXTERNAL PWR CART. WHEN THE SIGNAL FOR STOP WAS GIVEN; I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. AS I STOPPED I FELT A THUD IN BRAKE PEDALS. THE FO FELT IT TOO AND LOOKED TO HIS R AND VERIFIED WE DID NOT HIT THE PWR CART OR ANY OTHER OBSTRUCTION. I LOOKED TO MY L AND SAW THE TOP OF THE #1 ENG NACELLE WAS AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE JETBRIDGE. I DIRECTED THE FO TO SHUT DOWN THE #1 ENG. I CONTACTED OPS AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAID THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN TOLD. I CONTACTED DISPATCH VIA CELL PHONE AND ASKED FOR THE FLT DUTY MGR AND MAINT CTL TO JOIN US ON THE CALL. I TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND DISCUSSED WHETHER THE ACFT SHOULD BE MOVED. WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION NOT TO MOVE THE ACFT AND TAKE PICTURES OF THE ENG AND PARKING PLACEMENT OF THE ACFT. THE NEXT PRIORITY WAS TO DEPLANE THE PAX. WE COORD WITH OPS TO GET AIRSTAIRS AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD TAKE 10 MINS. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS; THE AIRSTAIRS ARRIVED ABOUT 1 HR AFTER THE INCIDENT. AFTER THE AIRSTAIRS WERE DELIVERED; THE CONTRACT MECH ASKED THE AIRSTAIRS NOT TO BE USED BECAUSE IT MIGHT CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE NACELLE WHEN THE PAX DEPLANE BECAUSE OF THE WT CHANGE. HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE NACELLE RUBBING AGAINST THE JETWAY AND SAID HE HAD BEEN TALKING WITH MAINT CTL. AFTER COORD WITH THE MAINT CTL ENG CTLR AND FLT DUTY MGR; WE ALL AGREED TO PUSH THE ACFT BACK 2-3 FT AND DEPLANE THE PAX. THIS TOOK AN ADDITIONAL 20 MINS. WE DEPLANED THE PAX AFTER ALMOST 1 1/2 HRS AFTER THE INCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO PAX INJURIES. HERE ARE SOME OF MY OBSERVATIONS: THIS WHOLE INCIDENT WAS NOT A LACK OF EFFORT; BUT A LACK OF COM AND COORD. AFTER TALKING WITH THE GUIDE PERSON; HER PLAN WAS TO PARK US AND THEN RUN UPSTAIRS AND OPERATE THE JETWAY BECAUSE OF MANPWR CONSTRAINTS. GATE X WAS A BRAND NEW GATE FOR US; ABOUT 1 WK OLD; AND WAS ONLY USED FOR RJ'S AND NEVER HAD A MAINLINE ACFT PARK THERE. ONE OF THE RJ'S WAS PARKED AT A GATE MAINLINE ACFT USE ALL THE TIME. IN MY OPINION; THE JETWAY WAS NEVER RECONFIGURED TO ACCEPT A MAINLINE ACFT BEFORE OUR ARR. I FEEL ATTN TO DETAIL AND MANPWR ISSUES WERE A KEY FACTOR TO THIS INCIDENT. GOOD EMPLOYEES WORKING HARD BUT MAKING MISTAKES.