Narrative:

I was taxiing on the inner taxiway at ord to the gate. There was another jet taxiing out from the k-l alleyway on my approach to the ramp area which I yielded to with no conflict. I did not come to a complete stop to let the other jet by, but slowed appreciably. I was cognizant of my power when I made a 90 degree turn because of my slow speed and looked at my EPR gauges while making the turn and saw 1.05 EPR (break away power is 1.20 EPR). Upon entering the ramp area, I heard a small propeller remark to ground control, 'call sign unknown ground are you aware of our situation here -- a baggage cart just hit our left propeller.' my copilot saw the situation off his 4 O'clock position and brought it to my attention. We saw an small transport with his left propeller entwined with a baggage cart. 1 of 2 scenarios caused this situation. 1 possibility is that my jet blast caused the baggage cart to overturn and hit the small transport behind. The other possibility is that the baggage cart driver was neglectful and caused the baggage cart to overturn directly in front of an oncoming aircraft. Which scenario is correct, I am uncertain not having been in touch with either the small transport pilot or the baggage cart driver. I feel like there was no error or neglect on my part because of my very low, almost idle taxi power. However, 3 lessons can be learned from this: 1) air carrier operators must be always cognizant of idle thrust/taxi power while on the ground. 2) small aircraft don't taxi too close behind turbojets. 3) baggage cart drivers/any vehicle drivers do not pass between aircraft at any time because they are unable to judge how much power is presently applied or could be applied on the jet engines ahead of them.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT TAXIING TO GATE YIELDS TO OTHER ACFT THEN ADDS PWR TO CONTINUE. SMT BEHIND HAS BAGGAGE CART OVERTURN INTO PROP.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING ON THE INNER TAXIWAY AT ORD TO THE GATE. THERE WAS ANOTHER JET TAXIING OUT FROM THE K-L ALLEYWAY ON MY APCH TO THE RAMP AREA WHICH I YIELDED TO WITH NO CONFLICT. I DID NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO LET THE OTHER JET BY, BUT SLOWED APPRECIABLY. I WAS COGNIZANT OF MY PWR WHEN I MADE A 90 DEG TURN BECAUSE OF MY SLOW SPD AND LOOKED AT MY EPR GAUGES WHILE MAKING THE TURN AND SAW 1.05 EPR (BREAK AWAY PWR IS 1.20 EPR). UPON ENTERING THE RAMP AREA, I HEARD A SMALL PROP REMARK TO GND CTL, 'CALL SIGN UNKNOWN GND ARE YOU AWARE OF OUR SITUATION HERE -- A BAGGAGE CART JUST HIT OUR L PROP.' MY COPLT SAW THE SITUATION OFF HIS 4 O'CLOCK POS AND BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTN. WE SAW AN SMT WITH HIS L PROP ENTWINED WITH A BAGGAGE CART. 1 OF 2 SCENARIOS CAUSED THIS SITUATION. 1 POSSIBILITY IS THAT MY JET BLAST CAUSED THE BAGGAGE CART TO OVERTURN AND HIT THE SMT BEHIND. THE OTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT THE BAGGAGE CART DRIVER WAS NEGLECTFUL AND CAUSED THE BAGGAGE CART TO OVERTURN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF AN ONCOMING ACFT. WHICH SCENARIO IS CORRECT, I AM UNCERTAIN NOT HAVING BEEN IN TOUCH WITH EITHER THE SMT PLT OR THE BAGGAGE CART DRIVER. I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS NO ERROR OR NEGLECT ON MY PART BECAUSE OF MY VERY LOW, ALMOST IDLE TAXI PWR. HOWEVER, 3 LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED FROM THIS: 1) ACR OPERATORS MUST BE ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF IDLE THRUST/TAXI PWR WHILE ON THE GND. 2) SMALL ACFT DON'T TAXI TOO CLOSE BEHIND TURBOJETS. 3) BAGGAGE CART DRIVERS/ANY VEHICLE DRIVERS DO NOT PASS BTWN ACFT AT ANY TIME BECAUSE THEY ARE UNABLE TO JUDGE HOW MUCH PWR IS PRESENTLY APPLIED OR COULD BE APPLIED ON THE JET ENGS AHEAD OF THEM.

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.