Narrative:

After uneventful flight and landing, accident occurred while taxiing into the gate, literally. At this location the gate has a limited range of motion and the difference between fully parked and extended is probably 2 ft. As we approached the gate about 1 aircraft length out, I felt too close and moved the aircraft a bit to the right. The marshaller gave me a command to move back to the left. I responded but still felt uncomfortable. I figured that he had a much better view of the situation from his position at the front of the aircraft, so I continued to follow his instructions. As we neared a point about 5 ft from the parking position I saw the gate canopy go by very close to the aircraft and I began to stop. Within a second or 2 I heard a bump, just as the aircraft came to a stop. Fortunately, there wasn't any damage to the aircraft. It turned out that the gate had been set in ht for a different aircraft and was about 4 ft lower than it should have been. Also, my trust in the marshaller was misplaced. He was only watching my nosewheel and the yellow line. He didn't think to clear the aircraft from obstacles as we taxied in. The moral is trust your instincts. If it looks too close, it probably is. Next time I'll be sure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MAKES CONTACT WITH EXTENDED GATE DURING RAMP OP ACFT PARKING PROC.

Narrative: AFTER UNEVENTFUL FLT AND LNDG, ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE TAXIING INTO THE GATE, LITERALLY. AT THIS LOCATION THE GATE HAS A LIMITED RANGE OF MOTION AND THE DIFFERENCE BTWN FULLY PARKED AND EXTENDED IS PROBABLY 2 FT. AS WE APCHED THE GATE ABOUT 1 ACFT LENGTH OUT, I FELT TOO CLOSE AND MOVED THE ACFT A BIT TO THE R. THE MARSHALLER GAVE ME A COMMAND TO MOVE BACK TO THE L. I RESPONDED BUT STILL FELT UNCOMFORTABLE. I FIGURED THAT HE HAD A MUCH BETTER VIEW OF THE SIT FROM HIS POS AT THE FRONT OF THE ACFT, SO I CONTINUED TO FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS. AS WE NEARED A POINT ABOUT 5 FT FROM THE PARKING POS I SAW THE GATE CANOPY GO BY VERY CLOSE TO THE ACFT AND I BEGAN TO STOP. WITHIN A SECOND OR 2 I HEARD A BUMP, JUST AS THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY, THERE WASN'T ANY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE GATE HAD BEEN SET IN HT FOR A DIFFERENT ACFT AND WAS ABOUT 4 FT LOWER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. ALSO, MY TRUST IN THE MARSHALLER WAS MISPLACED. HE WAS ONLY WATCHING MY NOSEWHEEL AND THE YELLOW LINE. HE DIDN'T THINK TO CLR THE ACFT FROM OBSTACLES AS WE TAXIED IN. THE MORAL IS TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. IF IT LOOKS TOO CLOSE, IT PROBABLY IS. NEXT TIME I'LL BE SURE.

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.