B737-700 FLT CREW DELAYS TAXI INTO GATE UNTIL MARSHALLER UTILIZES LIGHTED WANDS FOR NIGHT GUIDANCE.

2007-06 · NASA ASRS report 742611

Date: 2007-06 · Aircraft: B737-700 · Phase: taxi

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

B737-700 FLT CREW DELAYS TAXI INTO GATE UNTIL MARSHALLER UTILIZES LIGHTED WANDS FOR NIGHT GUIDANCE.

Narrative

WHILE TAXIING INTO THE GATE AFTER COMPLETING OUR FLT WE ENCOUNTERED PROBS AT THE GATE WHICH DELAYED OUR ARR. AS WE ARRIVED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE 'J' LINE; WE NOTICED THAT THE MARSHALLER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MARSHALL US IN WITH UNLIT DAY WANDS. SINCE IT WAS DARK; WE STOPPED THE JET; ASKED THE PAX TO REMAIN SEATED WITH SEAT BELTS FASTENED; AND ADVISED OPS THAT WE NEEDED A MARSHALLER WITH LIGHTED WANDS. WHILE WE WERE COMMUNICATING TO THE PAX AND OPS; THE MARSHALLER WITH THE DAY WANDS CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO MARSHALL US IN (AS IF HE HAD NO IDEA WHY WE HAD STOPPED OUTSIDE THE SAFETY ZONE). FINALLY; ANOTHER MARSHALLER ARRIVED WITH LIGHTED WANDS AND MARSHALLED US INTO THE GATE. THE JETWAY WAS BROKEN; SO OUR PAX WAITED APPROX 10 MINS ONBOARD THE JET WHILE MAINT PERSONNEL FIXED THE JETWAY. I SPOKE TO A GND OPS SUPVR CONCERNING THE MARSHALLER WHO WAS IGNORING COMPANY PROCS BY USING DAY WANDS AT NIGHT; INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED LIGHTED WANDS. THE SUPVR SAID HE WOULD TRACK DOWN THE MARSHALLER AND DO SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING. GND OPS NEEDS TO CONDUCT MORE TRAINING WITH THE RAMP AGENTS AND; IF NECESSARY; PERIODIC BRIEFINGS TO COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE COMPANY PROCS IN THE SAFETY ZONE (IE; USING LIGHTED WANDS). MARSHALLERS ARE REQUIRED TO USE LIGHTED WANDS AT NIGHT AS DICTATED BY THEIR MANUAL. HOWEVER; THE PLT'S FOM DOES NOT MATCH THE GND OPS MANUAL. THE FOM 'ENTERING THE SAFETY ZONE AND PARKING' SECTION SAYS THAT 'AT NIGHT; THE MARSHALLER IS REQUIRED TO USE WANDS.' THE PLT'S FOM SHOULD READ THE SAME AS THE GND OPS MANUAL BY READING 'AT NIGHT; THE MARSHALLER IS REQUIRED TO USE LIGHTED WANDS.' THE PLTS WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO ENFORCE THIS SAFETY PROC IF IT APPEARS IN THE FOM. I RECOMMEND THAT THIS FOM CHANGE BE MADE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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