Wing tip hits parked truck as parking agent gives aircraft taxi forward signal.

Attributes
ACN	230135
Time
Date	199212
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 186 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	230135
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Parking at gate in mia requires a short tight right turn which appears to be more than 90 degrees, with construction on the left side. While in the turn the taxi area appeared clear. There were several ground service vehicles parked 'in a row' to the left, parallel to the yellow parking line. There appeared to be enough clearance. As I rolled out on the yellow line the parking agent was giving the taxi forward signal. When the aircraft was about 10 ft from the parking spot there was a slight vibration. The parking agent was still giving the come ahead signal but I stopped the aircraft short. The left wing tip had contacted the first catering truck. A tug had to be hooked up later to move the aircraft 3 or 4 ft in order to use the jetway. Pictures were later taken to show the aircraft properly aligned on the yellow line and the ground service trucks which were incorrectly parked several ft from their correct position. The position of the service trucks, parked in a row, parallel to the parking line as if they were 'parked for the night,' was possibly a contributing factor in the pilot's judgement of adequate clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WING TIP HITS PARKED TRUCK AS PARKING AGENT GIVES ACFT TAXI FORWARD SIGNAL.

Narrative: PARKING AT GATE IN MIA REQUIRES A SHORT TIGHT R TURN WHICH APPEARS TO BE MORE THAN 90 DEGS, WITH CONSTRUCTION ON THE L SIDE. WHILE IN THE TURN THE TAXI AREA APPEARED CLR. THERE WERE SEVERAL GND SVC VEHICLES PARKED 'IN A ROW' TO THE L, PARALLEL TO THE YELLOW PARKING LINE. THERE APPEARED TO BE ENOUGH CLRNC. AS I ROLLED OUT ON THE YELLOW LINE THE PARKING AGENT WAS GIVING THE TAXI FORWARD SIGNAL. WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 10 FT FROM THE PARKING SPOT THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION. THE PARKING AGENT WAS STILL GIVING THE COME AHEAD SIGNAL BUT I STOPPED THE ACFT SHORT. THE L WING TIP HAD CONTACTED THE FIRST CATERING TRUCK. A TUG HAD TO BE HOOKED UP LATER TO MOVE THE ACFT 3 OR 4 FT IN ORDER TO USE THE JETWAY. PICTURES WERE LATER TAKEN TO SHOW THE ACFT PROPERLY ALIGNED ON THE YELLOW LINE AND THE GND SVC TRUCKS WHICH WERE INCORRECTLY PARKED SEVERAL FT FROM THEIR CORRECT POS. THE POS OF THE SVC TRUCKS, PARKED IN A ROW, PARALLEL TO THE PARKING LINE AS IF THEY WERE 'PARKED FOR THE NIGHT,' WAS POSSIBLY A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE PLT'S JUDGEMENT OF ADEQUATE CLRNC.

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.