Narrative:

End of segment, ord-aus. Taxiing in. Normally park at gate -- directed to gate X. After exiting runway 13R, directed by ground control to taxi delta papa and re-enter ramp at tango to allow aircraft to clear ramp outbound. Then positioned my aircraft on yellow line inbound to gate X. Commuter turboprop turning up on my right and ahead, catering truck (high box) beyond safety clearance line to the left though parked nose toward and furthest out distance from terminal. Remarked to copilot, looked tight getting into gate. We reconfirmed clrncs and proceeded. Entry to gate via easy left turn on yellow lead-in line. Was directed by hand signals at gate. At about 75 ft out, heard bump -- stopped -- signalmen continued to motion me into gate. Inquired of first officer -- he said felt like we ran over a chock or something on the ramp. Signalman continued motioning to proceed to gate. Then second ground signalman to my right did same. We continued to gate and secured the aircraft. I went to the ramp to see what had bumped us. Found left wingtip lens, bulb, and tip framer damage. Also dent upper corner sky chef truck. Signalman had not noticed our proximity nor observed the collision. She was surprised when I pointed it out. I am the one who should have stopped and had the truck moved when I felt uncomfortable whether beyond the safety line or not. The next aircraft to approach that gate (1 hour later), gate not normally used by air carrier, the station manager and other experts judged the clrncs as marginal! Supplemental information from acn 249220: I think the airport markings at gate X are wrong. We were on the yellow taxi line and the catering truck was within its safety zone and yet we came in contact with the catering truck. I also think the signal person was not aware of the wingtip clearance. The signal person guided us on the yellow lead-in line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG WINGTIP HITS CATERING TRUCK WHEN BEING MARSHALLED INTO GATE.

Narrative: END OF SEGMENT, ORD-AUS. TAXIING IN. NORMALLY PARK AT GATE -- DIRECTED TO GATE X. AFTER EXITING RWY 13R, DIRECTED BY GND CTL TO TAXI DELTA PAPA AND RE-ENTER RAMP AT TANGO TO ALLOW ACFT TO CLR RAMP OUTBOUND. THEN POSITIONED MY ACFT ON YELLOW LINE INBOUND TO GATE X. COMMUTER TURBOPROP TURNING UP ON MY R AND AHEAD, CATERING TRUCK (HIGH BOX) BEYOND SAFETY CLRNC LINE TO THE L THOUGH PARKED NOSE TOWARD AND FURTHEST OUT DISTANCE FROM TERMINAL. REMARKED TO COPLT, LOOKED TIGHT GETTING INTO GATE. WE RECONFIRMED CLRNCS AND PROCEEDED. ENTRY TO GATE VIA EASY L TURN ON YELLOW LEAD-IN LINE. WAS DIRECTED BY HAND SIGNALS AT GATE. AT ABOUT 75 FT OUT, HEARD BUMP -- STOPPED -- SIGNALMEN CONTINUED TO MOTION ME INTO GATE. INQUIRED OF FO -- HE SAID FELT LIKE WE RAN OVER A CHOCK OR SOMETHING ON THE RAMP. SIGNALMAN CONTINUED MOTIONING TO PROCEED TO GATE. THEN SECOND GND SIGNALMAN TO MY R DID SAME. WE CONTINUED TO GATE AND SECURED THE ACFT. I WENT TO THE RAMP TO SEE WHAT HAD BUMPED US. FOUND L WINGTIP LENS, BULB, AND TIP FRAMER DAMAGE. ALSO DENT UPPER CORNER SKY CHEF TRUCK. SIGNALMAN HAD NOT NOTICED OUR PROX NOR OBSERVED THE COLLISION. SHE WAS SURPRISED WHEN I POINTED IT OUT. I AM THE ONE WHO SHOULD HAVE STOPPED AND HAD THE TRUCK MOVED WHEN I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE WHETHER BEYOND THE SAFETY LINE OR NOT. THE NEXT ACFT TO APCH THAT GATE (1 HR LATER), GATE NOT NORMALLY USED BY ACR, THE STATION MGR AND OTHER EXPERTS JUDGED THE CLRNCS AS MARGINAL! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 249220: I THINK THE ARPT MARKINGS AT GATE X ARE WRONG. WE WERE ON THE YELLOW TAXI LINE AND THE CATERING TRUCK WAS WITHIN ITS SAFETY ZONE AND YET WE CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE CATERING TRUCK. I ALSO THINK THE SIGNAL PERSON WAS NOT AWARE OF THE WINGTIP CLRNC. THE SIGNAL PERSON GUIDED US ON THE YELLOW LEAD-IN LINE.

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.