During parking procedure aircraft left engine struck jetway.

Attributes
ACN	120530
Time
Date	198908
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	120530
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Our aircraft was cleared to the gate in lax by ramp control and was advised to power on to gate (manual indicated tow in gate). Guide-in man signaled us to come in on J line. He had not lights or wands, but wa standing in bright lights from terminal. The signal man brought us 12' too far forward of the stop line and the left engine cowl hit the jetway. When the jetway driver tried to move the jetway he pushed the aircraft, causing more damage. The stop lines were marked for our aircraft, but were hard to read because they had oil and grease on them. The jetway was not parked in normal spot and was unlit. The jetway was low and away not giving normal visibility cues of distance. The guide man left after incident because it was reported that he was drinking beer. I feel the stop lines should be color-coded and kept clean. Jetway should be manned and in proper position. Supervisors should be at any gate where aircraft are moved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING PARKING PROC ACFT LEFT ENGINE STRUCK JETWAY.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS CLRED TO THE GATE IN LAX BY RAMP CTL AND WAS ADVISED TO PWR ON TO GATE (MANUAL INDICATED TOW IN GATE). GUIDE-IN MAN SIGNALED US TO COME IN ON J LINE. HE HAD NOT LIGHTS OR WANDS, BUT WA STANDING IN BRIGHT LIGHTS FROM TERMINAL. THE SIGNAL MAN BROUGHT US 12' TOO FAR FORWARD OF THE STOP LINE AND THE LEFT ENG COWL HIT THE JETWAY. WHEN THE JETWAY DRIVER TRIED TO MOVE THE JETWAY HE PUSHED THE ACFT, CAUSING MORE DAMAGE. THE STOP LINES WERE MARKED FOR OUR ACFT, BUT WERE HARD TO READ BECAUSE THEY HAD OIL AND GREASE ON THEM. THE JETWAY WAS NOT PARKED IN NORMAL SPOT AND WAS UNLIT. THE JETWAY WAS LOW AND AWAY NOT GIVING NORMAL VIS CUES OF DISTANCE. THE GUIDE MAN LEFT AFTER INCIDENT BECAUSE IT WAS RPTED THAT HE WAS DRINKING BEER. I FEEL THE STOP LINES SHOULD BE COLOR-CODED AND KEPT CLEAN. JETWAY SHOULD BE MANNED AND IN PROPER POS. SUPVRS SHOULD BE AT ANY GATE WHERE ACFT ARE MOVED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.