Narrative:

Taxi into the gate at lax, green signal light was on and wing walkers were in place giving a 'thumbs up' (all clear) signal as we approached the turn-in point. There was no definitive safety line for ground equipment marked on the ground (subsequent observation after the flight found the line but it was almost completely obscured by grease and dirt) that could be seen from the cockpit. About 25 ft from the normal stop position, the green light signal was still on and both wing walkers were still giving the all clear signal, both the first officer and myself (so) spotted a person other than a wing walker running into view frantically giving a stop signal (raised crossed arms). The captain stopped the aircraft immediately. The green light signal was still on. After the aircraft was stopped, the red light came on. This was verified by all 3 of us. The guidance lead-in lights were centered which was also verified by all 3 of us. Ground communication with the ramp folks was established and they advised us of some damage to the aircraft and ground equipment. Later observation showed damage to the #1 and #2 leading edge devices (left side), a crease the width of the under wing (front to back) and a dent and a hole in the left outboard aileron. Lesson learned: with reduced staffing and contract personnel in place of previous experienced ground personnel, it's important to double and triple check what these people are telling you.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DAMAGED. GND EQUIP PROB. ACR TAXIES INTO GND EQUIP WHILE WING WALKERS ARE MOTIONING IT IN.

Narrative: TAXI INTO THE GATE AT LAX, GREEN SIGNAL LIGHT WAS ON AND WING WALKERS WERE IN PLACE GIVING A 'THUMBS UP' (ALL CLR) SIGNAL AS WE APCHED THE TURN-IN POINT. THERE WAS NO DEFINITIVE SAFETY LINE FOR GND EQUIP MARKED ON THE GND (SUBSEQUENT OBSERVATION AFTER THE FLT FOUND THE LINE BUT IT WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY OBSCURED BY GREASE AND DIRT) THAT COULD BE SEEN FROM THE COCKPIT. ABOUT 25 FT FROM THE NORMAL STOP POS, THE GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL WAS STILL ON AND BOTH WING WALKERS WERE STILL GIVING THE ALL CLR SIGNAL, BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF (SO) SPOTTED A PERSON OTHER THAN A WING WALKER RUNNING INTO VIEW FRANTICALLY GIVING A STOP SIGNAL (RAISED CROSSED ARMS). THE CAPT STOPPED THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY. THE GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL WAS STILL ON. AFTER THE ACFT WAS STOPPED, THE RED LIGHT CAME ON. THIS WAS VERIFIED BY ALL 3 OF US. THE GUIDANCE LEAD-IN LIGHTS WERE CTRED WHICH WAS ALSO VERIFIED BY ALL 3 OF US. GND COM WITH THE RAMP FOLKS WAS ESTABLISHED AND THEY ADVISED US OF SOME DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND GND EQUIP. LATER OBSERVATION SHOWED DAMAGE TO THE #1 AND #2 LEADING EDGE DEVICES (L SIDE), A CREASE THE WIDTH OF THE UNDER WING (FRONT TO BACK) AND A DENT AND A HOLE IN THE L OUTBOARD AILERON. LESSON LEARNED: WITH REDUCED STAFFING AND CONTRACT PERSONNEL IN PLACE OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCED GND PERSONNEL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHK WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE TELLING YOU.

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.