Narrative:

As we approached gate X on the outer edge of the ramp we observed the accupark (self-parking system) was inoperative, a guideman was in position to guide us in, the immediate area for gate X appeared clear but there was an widebody transport being loaded at gate Y with numerous ground equipment in its vicinity. Parking required a sharp 90 degree right turn under control of guideman, then rolling straight for approximately 50 ft to position door 2L by jetway. About 2 ft short of stop line the aircraft encountered a slight resistance and stopped. After first indication for us to roll ahead guideman changed to park sign. After deplaning it was discovered the lower lip of #1 engine cowl had contacted a baggage cart tug causing a 2 inch by 12 inch dent. None of the 3 pilots involved nor the guideman (licensed mechanic) had observed the tug before or during parking. At the time of this report it had not been determined if the tug had always been present or if the tug had pulled away from gate on our left side and the driver had not been watching ahead, and had just gotten in our way at the last moment. The tug driver who was supposed to be present and working was not to be found anywhere. If the tug had moved in at the last moment it would have not been visible to guideman as he has to move to his right (our left) to be visible out captain's side window. Problem -- to cut costs airline uses either self parking system or only one guideman to park aircraft. Pushback is usually one person also. This leaves left side of aircraft unobserved as captain has to concentrate on parking guidance and copilot cannot see anything low or close out left side. Problem is worse on widebodies. Solution -- most airlines use 1 or 2 additional ground observers during parking and pushback for aircraft medium large transport size or larger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB BEING GUIDED TO GATE IS HIT BY TUG.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED GATE X ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE RAMP WE OBSERVED THE ACCUPARK (SELF-PARKING SYS) WAS INOP, A GUIDEMAN WAS IN POS TO GUIDE US IN, THE IMMEDIATE AREA FOR GATE X APPEARED CLR BUT THERE WAS AN WDB BEING LOADED AT GATE Y WITH NUMEROUS GND EQUIP IN ITS VICINITY. PARKING REQUIRED A SHARP 90 DEG R TURN UNDER CTL OF GUIDEMAN, THEN ROLLING STRAIGHT FOR APPROX 50 FT TO POS DOOR 2L BY JETWAY. ABOUT 2 FT SHORT OF STOP LINE THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHT RESISTANCE AND STOPPED. AFTER FIRST INDICATION FOR US TO ROLL AHEAD GUIDEMAN CHANGED TO PARK SIGN. AFTER DEPLANING IT WAS DISCOVERED THE LOWER LIP OF #1 ENG COWL HAD CONTACTED A BAGGAGE CART TUG CAUSING A 2 INCH BY 12 INCH DENT. NONE OF THE 3 PLTS INVOLVED NOR THE GUIDEMAN (LICENSED MECH) HAD OBSERVED THE TUG BEFORE OR DURING PARKING. AT THE TIME OF THIS RPT IT HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED IF THE TUG HAD ALWAYS BEEN PRESENT OR IF THE TUG HAD PULLED AWAY FROM GATE ON OUR L SIDE AND THE DRIVER HAD NOT BEEN WATCHING AHEAD, AND HAD JUST GOTTEN IN OUR WAY AT THE LAST MOMENT. THE TUG DRIVER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PRESENT AND WORKING WAS NOT TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE. IF THE TUG HAD MOVED IN AT THE LAST MOMENT IT WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN VISIBLE TO GUIDEMAN AS HE HAS TO MOVE TO HIS R (OUR L) TO BE VISIBLE OUT CAPT'S SIDE WINDOW. PROBLEM -- TO CUT COSTS AIRLINE USES EITHER SELF PARKING SYS OR ONLY ONE GUIDEMAN TO PARK ACFT. PUSHBACK IS USUALLY ONE PERSON ALSO. THIS LEAVES L SIDE OF ACFT UNOBSERVED AS CAPT HAS TO CONCENTRATE ON PARKING GUIDANCE AND COPLT CANNOT SEE ANYTHING LOW OR CLOSE OUT L SIDE. PROBLEM IS WORSE ON WIDEBODIES. SOLUTION -- MOST AIRLINES USE 1 OR 2 ADDITIONAL GND OBSERVERS DURING PARKING AND PUSHBACK FOR ACFT MLG SIZE OR LARGER.

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.