Narrative:

Entering the alley way leading into gate xx, I shut down the outboard engines and kept the center engine running to provide power for taxiing. This seemed to be a prudent/safe approach in that it would lessen any potential for jet blast problems. As I started the initial turn into the gate it became apparent there was a slight uphill slope to the ramp, I increased power slightly on the #2 engine only enough to enable me to complete the turn into the gate. As the turn was completed I reduced power back to ground idle. At no time during this event did the aircraft get slower than a walking pace. After the turn was completed another pilot came up on ground control frequency in a very upset voice, asking/telling the ground controller that he thought gate xx was not a power in gate and that we had shaken his aircraft up quite a bit and blown some boxes around, possibly causing some damage. The ground controller was very polite and told him he would check on it and asked us to hold the power down if possible. Later that evening I had the opportunity to talk with the airport superintendent in charge of operations during this period. He confirmed and enlightened me to the following facts: gate xx is a power in gate and does have a slight uphill incline to it. The aircraft was an empty commuter aircraft in the gate Y area, with just the pilot in it getting ready to depart. (The aircraft took a 25 min delay for maintenance to check it over to ensure no damage had been done.) this problem had presented itself before, and was a very sensitive and delicate issue with the commuter people because they have had some aircraft damaged and personnel hurt before. Why is gate xx allowed to continue as a power in gate? Why are the commuters allowed to continue to operate off of gate Y? I somehow have gotten the feeling that there are some politics and/or bad feelings involved here between the commuter and the lax airport authorities.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A 3 ENG WDB TAXIING INTO THE GATE ON 1 ENG HAD TO USE EXTRA PWR TO COMPLETE A TURN CAUSING JET BLAST DAMAGE TO A COMMUTER PARKED IN THE AREA.

Narrative: ENTERING THE ALLEY WAY LEADING INTO GATE XX, I SHUT DOWN THE OUTBOARD ENGS AND KEPT THE CENTER ENG RUNNING TO PROVIDE PWR FOR TAXIING. THIS SEEMED TO BE A PRUDENT/SAFE APCH IN THAT IT WOULD LESSEN ANY POTENTIAL FOR JET BLAST PROBLEMS. AS I STARTED THE INITIAL TURN INTO THE GATE IT BECAME APPARENT THERE WAS A SLIGHT UPHILL SLOPE TO THE RAMP, I INCREASED PWR SLIGHTLY ON THE #2 ENG ONLY ENOUGH TO ENABLE ME TO COMPLETE THE TURN INTO THE GATE. AS THE TURN WAS COMPLETED I REDUCED PWR BACK TO GND IDLE. AT NO TIME DURING THIS EVENT DID THE ACFT GET SLOWER THAN A WALKING PACE. AFTER THE TURN WAS COMPLETED ANOTHER PLT CAME UP ON GND CTL FREQ IN A VERY UPSET VOICE, ASKING/TELLING THE GND CTLR THAT HE THOUGHT GATE XX WAS NOT A PWR IN GATE AND THAT WE HAD SHAKEN HIS ACFT UP QUITE A BIT AND BLOWN SOME BOXES AROUND, POSSIBLY CAUSING SOME DAMAGE. THE GND CTLR WAS VERY POLITE AND TOLD HIM HE WOULD CHK ON IT AND ASKED US TO HOLD THE PWR DOWN IF POSSIBLE. LATER THAT EVENING I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE ARPT SUPERINTENDENT IN CHARGE OF OPS DURING THIS PERIOD. HE CONFIRMED AND ENLIGHTENED ME TO THE FOLLOWING FACTS: GATE XX IS A PWR IN GATE AND DOES HAVE A SLIGHT UPHILL INCLINE TO IT. THE ACFT WAS AN EMPTY COMMUTER ACFT IN THE GATE Y AREA, WITH JUST THE PLT IN IT GETTING READY TO DEPART. (THE ACFT TOOK A 25 MIN DELAY FOR MAINT TO CHK IT OVER TO ENSURE NO DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE.) THIS PROBLEM HAD PRESENTED ITSELF BEFORE, AND WAS A VERY SENSITIVE AND DELICATE ISSUE WITH THE COMMUTER PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD SOME ACFT DAMAGED AND PERSONNEL HURT BEFORE. WHY IS GATE XX ALLOWED TO CONTINUE AS A PWR IN GATE? WHY ARE THE COMMUTERS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE OFF OF GATE Y? I SOMEHOW HAVE GOTTEN THE FEELING THAT THERE ARE SOME POLITICS AND/OR BAD FEELINGS INVOLVED HERE BTWN THE COMMUTER AND THE LAX ARPT AUTHORITIES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.