Air carrier 727 wingtip light hit a catering truck.

Attributes
ACN	281807
Time
Date	199408
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	281807
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
ASRS Report	281608
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing into our gate at jfk the crew noticed some catering vehicles behind another aircraft. The captain was right on the taxi stripe, and slowed while marshallers were moving into position. I twice told the captain that he had plenty of room to maneuver to the right and the captain did move slightly right. A marshaller gave tentative instructions indicating, I believe, indecision, but did not give a stop signal initially. When a stop signal was given there was a lot of confusion on the ramp including a shutdown engine's signal. Since we were taxiing on #1 and #2 engines, we shut down #2 but left #1 running and ultimately taxied into our gate. On ground inspection, we noticed a broken lens cover on the left wing position lamp, indicating possible contact with the catering vehicle. Although the captain heard my calls that there was room to the right, I believe he thought he had room and based much of his decision on the marshaller, also, our company recently refused the importance of staying on taxi lines to ensure wingtip clearance. I believe this weighed heavily on the captain's mind.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR 727 WINGTIP LIGHT HIT A CATERING TRUCK.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING INTO OUR GATE AT JFK THE CREW NOTICED SOME CATERING VEHICLES BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT. THE CAPT WAS RIGHT ON THE TAXI STRIPE, AND SLOWED WHILE MARSHALLERS WERE MOVING INTO POS. I TWICE TOLD THE CAPT THAT HE HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO MANEUVER TO THE R AND THE CAPT DID MOVE SLIGHTLY R. A MARSHALLER GAVE TENTATIVE INSTRUCTIONS INDICATING, I BELIEVE, INDECISION, BUT DID NOT GIVE A STOP SIGNAL INITIALLY. WHEN A STOP SIGNAL WAS GIVEN THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION ON THE RAMP INCLUDING A SHUTDOWN ENG'S SIGNAL. SINCE WE WERE TAXIING ON #1 AND #2 ENGS, WE SHUT DOWN #2 BUT LEFT #1 RUNNING AND ULTIMATELY TAXIED INTO OUR GATE. ON GND INSPECTION, WE NOTICED A BROKEN LENS COVER ON THE L WING POS LAMP, INDICATING POSSIBLE CONTACT WITH THE CATERING VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THE CAPT HEARD MY CALLS THAT THERE WAS ROOM TO THE R, I BELIEVE HE THOUGHT HE HAD ROOM AND BASED MUCH OF HIS DECISION ON THE MARSHALLER, ALSO, OUR COMPANY RECENTLY REFUSED THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING ON TAXI LINES TO ENSURE WINGTIP CLRNC. I BELIEVE THIS WEIGHED HEAVILY ON THE CAPT'S MIND.

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.