Narrative:

On the morning of mar/thu/98, I was directed to parking spot xx in the southwest cargo area. I was at position #1 as indicated by the attached diagram, when I began my turn to the right as indicated on the ground by the painted yellow line. Upon commencing the right arc, the ground marshaller signaled me to turn left at approximately position as indicated by #2. I followed his commands and he signaled me to proceed straight ahead, leading me to approximately position #3 on diagram. At this time I determined that this signalman had no clue about what he was doing. I was now in no position to ever park the aircraft in the proper parking spot and determined that having the space available to turn the aircraft around myself, as indicated by the dotted lines, I could return the aircraft to the proper parking spot. The signalman was replaced and this time proper signals were given. I taxied with only #2 engine operating and used only minimum or idle thrust. The end result is that several full cargo igloos that were on the ground were tipped over by the engine exhaust on my aircraft. Prevention for future: will stop aircraft and have aircraft towed in by tug, or request a new signalman after stopping aircraft. Future prevention: talked to company safety officer about training any person who will be signaling an aircraft, to industry standards. Company safety officer agreed about training and agreed to begin a program within the next 30 days, noting that this was not an isolated incident and admitted to having received several previous reports on the topic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN L1011 BLEW OVER CARGO CONTAINERS WITH HIS JET BLAST DURING PARKING.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF MAR/THU/98, I WAS DIRECTED TO PARKING SPOT XX IN THE SW CARGO AREA. I WAS AT POS #1 AS INDICATED BY THE ATTACHED DIAGRAM, WHEN I BEGAN MY TURN TO THE R AS INDICATED ON THE GND BY THE PAINTED YELLOW LINE. UPON COMMENCING THE R ARC, THE GND MARSHALLER SIGNALED ME TO TURN L AT APPROX POS AS INDICATED BY #2. I FOLLOWED HIS COMMANDS AND HE SIGNALED ME TO PROCEED STRAIGHT AHEAD, LEADING ME TO APPROX POS #3 ON DIAGRAM. AT THIS TIME I DETERMINED THAT THIS SIGNALMAN HAD NO CLUE ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING. I WAS NOW IN NO POS TO EVER PARK THE ACFT IN THE PROPER PARKING SPOT AND DETERMINED THAT HAVING THE SPACE AVAILABLE TO TURN THE ACFT AROUND MYSELF, AS INDICATED BY THE DOTTED LINES, I COULD RETURN THE ACFT TO THE PROPER PARKING SPOT. THE SIGNALMAN WAS REPLACED AND THIS TIME PROPER SIGNALS WERE GIVEN. I TAXIED WITH ONLY #2 ENG OPERATING AND USED ONLY MINIMUM OR IDLE THRUST. THE END RESULT IS THAT SEVERAL FULL CARGO IGLOOS THAT WERE ON THE GND WERE TIPPED OVER BY THE ENG EXHAUST ON MY ACFT. PREVENTION FOR FUTURE: WILL STOP ACFT AND HAVE ACFT TOWED IN BY TUG, OR REQUEST A NEW SIGNALMAN AFTER STOPPING ACFT. FUTURE PREVENTION: TALKED TO COMPANY SAFETY OFFICER ABOUT TRAINING ANY PERSON WHO WILL BE SIGNALING AN ACFT, TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS. COMPANY SAFETY OFFICER AGREED ABOUT TRAINING AND AGREED TO BEGIN A PROGRAM WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, NOTING THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND ADMITTED TO HAVING RECEIVED SEVERAL PREVIOUS RPTS ON THE TOPIC.

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.