Air carrier B727 strikes ground vehicle during winter conditions on ramp at phl.

Attributes
ACN	460718
Time
Date	200001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : 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 : 160 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	461669
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	460718
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 5
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During a light/moderate snowstorm in phl, our B727 was taxiing to our gate. The ramp was covered with approximately 2 inches of snow. Braking and maneuverability were fair to good. While aircraft was on parking centerline, the left wingtip struck a deicing truck parked nearby. Marshallers and wing walkers were present, but not able to tell if a conflict was present until too late. The snow covered the safety lines so no one could tell if the trucks were in their proper position. Damage to the aircraft was small, truck was undamaged. I believe that the inclement WX may have affected the ground personnel's performance. I'm sure they wanted to get out of the cold and snow as soon as possible. In addition, the marshaller didn't keep an eye on the wing walkers-- she was watching the aircraft alignment with the taxi centerline. Supplemental information from acn 461253: someone other than the marshaller signaled the captain to stop, but the marshaller did not give the stop signal. It appeared that the safety cones were improperly placed and the marshaller simply wasn't paying attention. Supplemental information from acn 461669: the marshaller, when asked why they did not see the wing walker's stop sign, said they were not watching the wing walkers. Better training may prevent this, plus keeping safety lines clear of snow would help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B727 STRIKES GND VEHICLE DURING WINTER CONDITIONS ON RAMP AT PHL.

Narrative: DURING A LIGHT/MODERATE SNOWSTORM IN PHL, OUR B727 WAS TAXIING TO OUR GATE. THE RAMP WAS COVERED WITH APPROX 2 INCHES OF SNOW. BRAKING AND MANEUVERABILITY WERE FAIR TO GOOD. WHILE ACFT WAS ON PARKING CTRLINE, THE L WINGTIP STRUCK A DEICING TRUCK PARKED NEARBY. MARSHALLERS AND WING WALKERS WERE PRESENT, BUT NOT ABLE TO TELL IF A CONFLICT WAS PRESENT UNTIL TOO LATE. THE SNOW COVERED THE SAFETY LINES SO NO ONE COULD TELL IF THE TRUCKS WERE IN THEIR PROPER POS. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS SMALL, TRUCK WAS UNDAMAGED. I BELIEVE THAT THE INCLEMENT WX MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE GND PERSONNEL'S PERFORMANCE. I'M SURE THEY WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE COLD AND SNOW ASAP. IN ADDITION, THE MARSHALLER DIDN'T KEEP AN EYE ON THE WING WALKERS-- SHE WAS WATCHING THE ACFT ALIGNMENT WITH THE TAXI CTRLINE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 461253: SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE MARSHALLER SIGNALED THE CAPT TO STOP, BUT THE MARSHALLER DID NOT GIVE THE STOP SIGNAL. IT APPEARED THAT THE SAFETY CONES WERE IMPROPERLY PLACED AND THE MARSHALLER SIMPLY WASN'T PAYING ATTN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 461669: THE MARSHALLER, WHEN ASKED WHY THEY DID NOT SEE THE WING WALKER'S STOP SIGN, SAID THEY WERE NOT WATCHING THE WING WALKERS. BETTER TRAINING MAY PREVENT THIS, PLUS KEEPING SAFETY LINES CLR OF SNOW WOULD HELP.

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.