Narrative:

Copilot made uneventful landing on runway 8L. I assumed control exited at taxiway zulu. Ground control cleared us into gate. I continued a left turn followed by a right turn to line up on the yellow line to gate. There were many container carts neatly lined up between gates. There was a loader parked among the carts. The jetway was parked very close to the yellow line (both for door 1 and 2 though 2 was a little further back). The autodocking system was not functioning. The taxi director gave numerous minor (1 ft) corrections. It appeared we were on the yellow line the whole way. When I got the stop signal I could no longer see the director, only his hands. He never indicated any serious problem. 1 1/2 hours later, in operation I was told we damaged the loader. I went back and viewed the scene. The tower on the loader hit the left side of #1 engine and put holes (4-5) in the cowl and knocked the loader over (it was righted when I saw it). Viewing the scene from the directors position, his view was somewhat obscured by the jet loader. There was a yellow line denoting a safe distance for ground equipment at gate xx. There was no line for this gate. This was my first time into this gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OUTBOARD SIDE OF #1 ENG ON WDB HIT CARGO LOADER DURING PARKING PROC.

Narrative: COPLT MADE UNEVENTFUL LNDG ON RWY 8L. I ASSUMED CTL EXITED AT TAXIWAY ZULU. GND CTL CLRED US INTO GATE. I CONTINUED A L TURN FOLLOWED BY A R TURN TO LINE UP ON THE YELLOW LINE TO GATE. THERE WERE MANY CONTAINER CARTS NEATLY LINED UP BTWN GATES. THERE WAS A LOADER PARKED AMONG THE CARTS. THE JETWAY WAS PARKED VERY CLOSE TO THE YELLOW LINE (BOTH FOR DOOR 1 AND 2 THOUGH 2 WAS A LITTLE FURTHER BACK). THE AUTODOCKING SYS WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE TAXI DIRECTOR GAVE NUMEROUS MINOR (1 FT) CORRECTIONS. IT APPEARED WE WERE ON THE YELLOW LINE THE WHOLE WAY. WHEN I GOT THE STOP SIGNAL I COULD NO LONGER SEE THE DIRECTOR, ONLY HIS HANDS. HE NEVER INDICATED ANY SERIOUS PROBLEM. 1 1/2 HRS LATER, IN OP I WAS TOLD WE DAMAGED THE LOADER. I WENT BACK AND VIEWED THE SCENE. THE TWR ON THE LOADER HIT THE L SIDE OF #1 ENG AND PUT HOLES (4-5) IN THE COWL AND KNOCKED THE LOADER OVER (IT WAS RIGHTED WHEN I SAW IT). VIEWING THE SCENE FROM THE DIRECTORS POS, HIS VIEW WAS SOMEWHAT OBSCURED BY THE JET LOADER. THERE WAS A YELLOW LINE DENOTING A SAFE DISTANCE FOR GND EQUIP AT GATE XX. THERE WAS NO LINE FOR THIS GATE. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME INTO THIS GATE.

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.