Widebody transport taxiing into gate has #1 engine hit jetway support.

Attributes
ACN	287074
Time
Date	199410
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ams
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	287074
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After clearing runway in ams, and being cleared to gate, we taxied to gate area. At turn into gate (light controled parking system), the light system appeared to be functioning properly. Slowing to approximately 4 KTS, I continued taxiing. Several ground personnel were standing at gate area awaiting our arrival. When we approached area where lights should be changing and where I thought stop area was, the system gave me no information. I slowed to about 1-2 KTS and advanced slowly ahead. Finally, I decided to stop and try to communicate with someone on the ground. As I applied the brakes, the #1 engine bumped up against the metal support for the jetway. Damage was slight even though an aircraft swap and engine inspection was called for. At the time of the accident, the sun was behind the aircraft and shining into gateway. Not only do I feel that the parking system was not working properly, I also feel that my personal performance with regards to stopping long before time and talking with ground personnel could and should have been better. Perhaps being overtired from several flts previous with maximum rest in between flts, flying all night to reach amsterdam and the parking position with regard to the sun could have and probably was a contributing factor in this accident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB TAXIING INTO GATE HAS #1 ENG HIT JETWAY SUPPORT.

Narrative: AFTER CLRING RWY IN AMS, AND BEING CLRED TO GATE, WE TAXIED TO GATE AREA. AT TURN INTO GATE (LIGHT CTLED PARKING SYS), THE LIGHT SYS APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. SLOWING TO APPROX 4 KTS, I CONTINUED TAXIING. SEVERAL GND PERSONNEL WERE STANDING AT GATE AREA AWAITING OUR ARR. WHEN WE APCHED AREA WHERE LIGHTS SHOULD BE CHANGING AND WHERE I THOUGHT STOP AREA WAS, THE SYS GAVE ME NO INFO. I SLOWED TO ABOUT 1-2 KTS AND ADVANCED SLOWLY AHEAD. FINALLY, I DECIDED TO STOP AND TRY TO COMMUNICATE WITH SOMEONE ON THE GND. AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE #1 ENG BUMPED UP AGAINST THE METAL SUPPORT FOR THE JETWAY. DAMAGE WAS SLIGHT EVEN THOUGH AN ACFT SWAP AND ENG INSPECTION WAS CALLED FOR. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE SUN WAS BEHIND THE ACFT AND SHINING INTO GATEWAY. NOT ONLY DO I FEEL THAT THE PARKING SYS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, I ALSO FEEL THAT MY PERSONAL PERFORMANCE WITH REGARDS TO STOPPING LONG BEFORE TIME AND TALKING WITH GND PERSONNEL COULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. PERHAPS BEING OVERTIRED FROM SEVERAL FLTS PREVIOUS WITH MAX REST IN BTWN FLTS, FLYING ALL NIGHT TO REACH AMSTERDAM AND THE PARKING POS WITH REGARD TO THE SUN COULD HAVE AND PROBABLY WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.

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.