Narrative:

Returned to gate due to mechanical. When we were approximately 300 ft from the gate, a signalman coming from the direction of gate (to our left) appeared with wands. He stood in front of the lead-in line and promptly proceeded to give us a 'come ahead' signal. As we initially approached the gate, a fuel truck was noted between gates. Due to the fact that the signalman appeared to be in good control, in good position to view the ramp, and was giving solid 'come ahead' signals, I didn't think that obstacle clearance was a problem. As we approached the gate, my concentration focused on the signalman as he continued to give the 'come ahead' signal. Approximately 5 ft short of the gate, a slight jar was felt. The first officer and I both thought we were chocked early. Later it was discovered the left wingtip had contacted the fuel truck cabin attendant. When I viewed the truck from a distance, it appeared to be straddling a yellow safe zone line, but from the strong 'come ahead' signals we were receiving and because I thought the marshaller was familiar with the gate, ramp, and aircraft, I didn't think obstacle clearance was in jeopardy. My mistake was to totally trust someone else, even if he looked extremely confident in his direction. Supplemental information from acn 312123: after an aborted takeoff, the captain taxied the aircraft back to the ramp so maintenance could take care of our problem. I called ramp control and notified them that we needed someone to park us. At just about that time, I saw someone running from the aircraft parked at gate which was to our left, he grabbed a couple batons, and without hesitation marshalled us into the gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MARSHALLER WAS STILL GIVING THE 'COME AHEAD' WHEN THE DC9-10'S WINGTIP STRUCK A FUEL TRUCK.

Narrative: RETURNED TO GATE DUE TO MECHANICAL. WHEN WE WERE APPROX 300 FT FROM THE GATE, A SIGNALMAN COMING FROM THE DIRECTION OF GATE (TO OUR L) APPEARED WITH WANDS. HE STOOD IN FRONT OF THE LEAD-IN LINE AND PROMPTLY PROCEEDED TO GIVE US A 'COME AHEAD' SIGNAL. AS WE INITIALLY APCHED THE GATE, A FUEL TRUCK WAS NOTED BTWN GATES. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SIGNALMAN APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD CTL, IN GOOD POS TO VIEW THE RAMP, AND WAS GIVING SOLID 'COME AHEAD' SIGNALS, I DIDN'T THINK THAT OBSTACLE CLRNC WAS A PROB. AS WE APCHED THE GATE, MY CONCENTRATION FOCUSED ON THE SIGNALMAN AS HE CONTINUED TO GIVE THE 'COME AHEAD' SIGNAL. APPROX 5 FT SHORT OF THE GATE, A SLIGHT JAR WAS FELT. THE FO AND I BOTH THOUGHT WE WERE CHOCKED EARLY. LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED THE L WINGTIP HAD CONTACTED THE FUEL TRUCK CAB. WHEN I VIEWED THE TRUCK FROM A DISTANCE, IT APPEARED TO BE STRADDLING A YELLOW SAFE ZONE LINE, BUT FROM THE STRONG 'COME AHEAD' SIGNALS WE WERE RECEIVING AND BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE MARSHALLER WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE GATE, RAMP, AND ACFT, I DIDN'T THINK OBSTACLE CLRNC WAS IN JEOPARDY. MY MISTAKE WAS TO TOTALLY TRUST SOMEONE ELSE, EVEN IF HE LOOKED EXTREMELY CONFIDENT IN HIS DIRECTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 312123: AFTER AN ABORTED TKOF, THE CAPT TAXIED THE ACFT BACK TO THE RAMP SO MAINT COULD TAKE CARE OF OUR PROB. I CALLED RAMP CTL AND NOTIFIED THEM THAT WE NEEDED SOMEONE TO PARK US. AT JUST ABOUT THAT TIME, I SAW SOMEONE RUNNING FROM THE ACFT PARKED AT GATE WHICH WAS TO OUR L, HE GRABBED A COUPLE BATONS, AND WITHOUT HESITATION MARSHALLED US INTO THE GATE.

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.