Power back from gate wing hit jetway.

Attributes
ACN	317293
Time
Date	199510
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : grr
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	317293
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon powering out from grand rapids, the left wing contacted the jetway. As I looked over my shoulder, it was impossible to see the wingtip due to window distortion. It looked like it would clear but would be close. Consequently I followed the marshaler's directions as she waved me out and she never gave a stop signal. This was a rare instance, we discovered later, in which the jetway operator positioned the jetway in the wrong place. It should have been located almost 180 degrees from where it was. Since it was located in the wrong spot, it would not move any further away due to a limit switch. The jetway operator knew the jetway was too close, but instead of going down the stairs to signal the marshaler to stand by, she went into the terminal to get another agent. Meanwhile, the marshaler, a new employee, directed us out and into the jetway. Ideally, I should have stopped the aircraft and opened the window to check the wingtip. I put a little too much faith in the jetway operator and marshaler.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PWR BACK FROM GATE WING HIT JETWAY.

Narrative: UPON POWERING OUT FROM GRAND RAPIDS, THE L WING CONTACTED THE JETWAY. AS I LOOKED OVER MY SHOULDER, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE WINGTIP DUE TO WINDOW DISTORTION. IT LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD CLR BUT WOULD BE CLOSE. CONSEQUENTLY I FOLLOWED THE MARSHALER'S DIRECTIONS AS SHE WAVED ME OUT AND SHE NEVER GAVE A STOP SIGNAL. THIS WAS A RARE INSTANCE, WE DISCOVERED LATER, IN WHICH THE JETWAY OPERATOR POSITIONED THE JETWAY IN THE WRONG PLACE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOCATED ALMOST 180 DEGS FROM WHERE IT WAS. SINCE IT WAS LOCATED IN THE WRONG SPOT, IT WOULD NOT MOVE ANY FURTHER AWAY DUE TO A LIMIT SWITCH. THE JETWAY OPERATOR KNEW THE JETWAY WAS TOO CLOSE, BUT INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN THE STAIRS TO SIGNAL THE MARSHALER TO STAND BY, SHE WENT INTO THE TERMINAL TO GET ANOTHER AGENT. MEANWHILE, THE MARSHALER, A NEW EMPLOYEE, DIRECTED US OUT AND INTO THE JETWAY. IDEALLY, I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THE ACFT AND OPENED THE WINDOW TO CHK THE WINGTIP. I PUT A LITTLE TOO MUCH FAITH IN THE JETWAY OPERATOR AND MARSHALER.

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.