Narrative:

Arrived at ramp, dfw. Preliminary gate assignment was issued approximately 10 mins prior to landing. Due to a communication failure with company ramp control, I continued on to assigned gate. No radio contact. At approximately 200 yards from gate could see that our gate was occupied. Decided to pull over to an empty pad area opposite the assigned gate to allow aircraft at gate to push back. While turning on pad area, made contact with right wingtip and an airstair. As is normally the case with an event or accident, there was a succession of seemingly minor events that contributed to the incident, i.e., communication mixup, occupied gate, anxious to save fuel and make schedule. Most important item was not listening to copilot regarding wingtip clearance. Copilot stated 'don't think your going to clear it.' I thought we were beyond the airstair, was shocked when we made contact. If any doubt of wingtip clearance exists, set the brakes then sort it out. Supplemental information from acn 216638: due to a company emphasis on fuel savings to cut costs, the captain continued onto the ramp anticipating a reply from ramp tower. I repeated calling every few seconds, and was perplexed that no reply was received on the #2 radio that had worked well not mins before. At this time, I switched to the #1 radio, as I attempted contact, I heard the flight engineer say 'you're not going to make it.' I looked out the right window to see that we were taxiing too close to a moveable airstair. I was on the radio during this time and said 'ramp, aircraft flight number, wait!' the 'wait' was meant for the captain. I then said directly to the captain 'you're not going to make it' twice. He continued to taxi, assuring us that we were clear. Contributing factors were an effort to save fuel, the end of a long day and a long 3 day trip and a desire to get it over with and get home. Also, ramp tower is not always reliable and with the desire to save fuel and get passenger to the gate for connections, often many crews will continue to taxi if it is clear and reply is expected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT, TAXIING TFC, HITS AIRSTAIR IN RAMP OP ACFT PARKING PROC.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT RAMP, DFW. PRELIMINARY GATE ASSIGNMENT WAS ISSUED APPROX 10 MINS PRIOR TO LNDG. DUE TO A COM FAILURE WITH COMPANY RAMP CTL, I CONTINUED ON TO ASSIGNED GATE. NO RADIO CONTACT. AT APPROX 200 YARDS FROM GATE COULD SEE THAT OUR GATE WAS OCCUPIED. DECIDED TO PULL OVER TO AN EMPTY PAD AREA OPPOSITE THE ASSIGNED GATE TO ALLOW ACFT AT GATE TO PUSH BACK. WHILE TURNING ON PAD AREA, MADE CONTACT WITH R WINGTIP AND AN AIRSTAIR. AS IS NORMALLY THE CASE WITH AN EVENT OR ACCIDENT, THERE WAS A SUCCESSION OF SEEMINGLY MINOR EVENTS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT, I.E., COM MIXUP, OCCUPIED GATE, ANXIOUS TO SAVE FUEL AND MAKE SCHEDULE. MOST IMPORTANT ITEM WAS NOT LISTENING TO COPLT REGARDING WINGTIP CLRNC. COPLT STATED 'DON'T THINK YOUR GOING TO CLR IT.' I THOUGHT WE WERE BEYOND THE AIRSTAIR, WAS SHOCKED WHEN WE MADE CONTACT. IF ANY DOUBT OF WINGTIP CLRNC EXISTS, SET THE BRAKES THEN SORT IT OUT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 216638: DUE TO A COMPANY EMPHASIS ON FUEL SAVINGS TO CUT COSTS, THE CAPT CONTINUED ONTO THE RAMP ANTICIPATING A REPLY FROM RAMP TWR. I REPEATED CALLING EVERY FEW SECONDS, AND WAS PERPLEXED THAT NO REPLY WAS RECEIVED ON THE #2 RADIO THAT HAD WORKED WELL NOT MINS BEFORE. AT THIS TIME, I SWITCHED TO THE #1 RADIO, AS I ATTEMPTED CONTACT, I HEARD THE FLT ENGINEER SAY 'YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.' I LOOKED OUT THE R WINDOW TO SEE THAT WE WERE TAXIING TOO CLOSE TO A MOVEABLE AIRSTAIR. I WAS ON THE RADIO DURING THIS TIME AND SAID 'RAMP, ACFT FLT NUMBER, WAIT!' THE 'WAIT' WAS MEANT FOR THE CAPT. I THEN SAID DIRECTLY TO THE CAPT 'YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT' TWICE. HE CONTINUED TO TAXI, ASSURING US THAT WE WERE CLR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE AN EFFORT TO SAVE FUEL, THE END OF A LONG DAY AND A LONG 3 DAY TRIP AND A DESIRE TO GET IT OVER WITH AND GET HOME. ALSO, RAMP TWR IS NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE AND WITH THE DESIRE TO SAVE FUEL AND GET PAX TO THE GATE FOR CONNECTIONS, OFTEN MANY CREWS WILL CONTINUE TO TAXI IF IT IS CLR AND REPLY IS EXPECTED.

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.