A DC8 Captain taxied his aircraft into the ramp parking area without a Marshaller and the number four engine cowling contacted a loader parked in an area which should have been clear. The cowl was dented by the contact.
Synopsis
A DC8 Captain taxied his aircraft into the ramp parking area without a Marshaller and the number four engine cowling contacted a loader parked in an area which should have been clear. The cowl was dented by the contact.
Narrative
After flying a one-time contract flight; and arriving at one of our normal stations at an abnormal time; our regular ground crews were not prepared for the extremely early nature of our arrival (nearly one hour earlier than scheduled.) I taxied the aircraft onto the ramp; and saw that there were no support personnel anywhere to be seen. Our parking spot appeared to be clear; and I elected to continue and park the plane unassisted. The folly of this decision was not fully realized until after we left the airplane and discovered that the #4 engine nose cowl had come into contact with a 'K' loader; causing a 6 inch dent in the leading edge of that cowling. The incident could have been avoided if #1; I had exercised a little patience and waited for the ground support crew to get into position; and/or #2; the ground service equipment had been stored in dedicated safe areas. My judgement was impaired as a result of pride in my taxi skills and situational awareness; as well as my eagerness to get the trip over with.
Second reporter narrative
Another aircraft type had previously been using our normal parking spot and the ground equipment normally parked there had been rearranged to accommodate that aircraft's requirements. The Captain had parked in this spot numerous times and was thoroughly familiar with requirements for this location. However; the close proximity of ground equipment necessitates the use of a Marshaller to insure adequate clearance for parking.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.