Narrative:

We landed on runway 32 in pit international airport and taxied to the south ramp area. As we approached our assigned gate, we saw the self-parking mirror and proceeded toward the gate on the taxi line. The captain began looking in the mirror for the medium large transport X nosewheel stop-line. As we approached the gate, expecting to see the medium large transport X stop-line, we first spotted the medium large transport Z stop-line and the captain called it out as it came into view. He next saw the large transport stop-line and then an medium large transport Y stop-line. We then stopped the aircraft and requested that ground personnel tow the aircraft to the proper spot. They informed us that it was behind us. We looked out to see the left lower spotlight of the jetway had impacted the left engine cowling. Upon deplaning the aircraft, I inspected the ramp area and found the medium large transport X stop-line. The taxi lines and stop-lines are not painted very brightly, especially for night lighting conditions at the ramp area around gate. Also, the medium large transport X stop-line was obscured by ramp stairs which made it difficult to read, especially at night and even while standing on the ground. While talking to the jet way driver, we were told that the jetway was supposed to have been previously retracted further toward the terminal than it was when we arrived. Mr. Rx, the shift manager, told us that the jetway needed to be retracted further toward the terminal for an medium large transport X arrival, but it was not done in this case. This incident occurred because of the jetway not being retracted and the poor self-parking arrangement, combined with the poor lighting conditions around our gate. Had the jetway been retracted, the medium large transport X stop-line come into view sooner or one of the ground personnel aided us in parking the aircraft, this incident could have easily been avoided. The fact that it was both pilot's first arrival at the new terminal in pittsburgh is a contributing factor.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG L COWL HITS JETWAY IN RAMP OP CFT PARKING PROC DURING A NIGHT OP. ACFT DAMAGED.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON RWY 32 IN PIT INTL ARPT AND TAXIED TO THE S RAMP AREA. AS WE APCHED OUR ASSIGNED GATE, WE SAW THE SELF-PARKING MIRROR AND PROCEEDED TOWARD THE GATE ON THE TAXI LINE. THE CAPT BEGAN LOOKING IN THE MIRROR FOR THE MLG X NOSEWHEEL STOP-LINE. AS WE APCHED THE GATE, EXPECTING TO SEE THE MLG X STOP-LINE, WE FIRST SPOTTED THE MLG Z STOP-LINE AND THE CAPT CALLED IT OUT AS IT CAME INTO VIEW. HE NEXT SAW THE LGT STOP-LINE AND THEN AN MLG Y STOP-LINE. WE THEN STOPPED THE ACFT AND REQUESTED THAT GND PERSONNEL TOW THE ACFT TO THE PROPER SPOT. THEY INFORMED US THAT IT WAS BEHIND US. WE LOOKED OUT TO SEE THE L LOWER SPOTLIGHT OF THE JETWAY HAD IMPACTED THE L ENG COWLING. UPON DEPLANING THE ACFT, I INSPECTED THE RAMP AREA AND FOUND THE MLG X STOP-LINE. THE TAXI LINES AND STOP-LINES ARE NOT PAINTED VERY BRIGHTLY, ESPECIALLY FOR NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS AT THE RAMP AREA AROUND GATE. ALSO, THE MLG X STOP-LINE WAS OBSCURED BY RAMP STAIRS WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO READ, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND EVEN WHILE STANDING ON THE GND. WHILE TALKING TO THE JET WAY DRIVER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE JETWAY WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY RETRACTED FURTHER TOWARD THE TERMINAL THAN IT WAS WHEN WE ARRIVED. MR. RX, THE SHIFT MGR, TOLD US THAT THE JETWAY NEEDED TO BE RETRACTED FURTHER TOWARD THE TERMINAL FOR AN MLG X ARR, BUT IT WAS NOT DONE IN THIS CASE. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE JETWAY NOT BEING RETRACTED AND THE POOR SELF-PARKING ARRANGEMENT, COMBINED WITH THE POOR LIGHTING CONDITIONS AROUND OUR GATE. HAD THE JETWAY BEEN RETRACTED, THE MLG X STOP-LINE COME INTO VIEW SOONER OR ONE OF THE GND PERSONNEL AIDED US IN PARKING THE ACFT, THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN AVOIDED. THE FACT THAT IT WAS BOTH PLT'S FIRST ARR AT THE NEW TERMINAL IN PITTSBURGH IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.