Narrative:

During ramp departure I was marshalled too close to another aircraft. Contact was allegedly made but there was no damage or proof of such. I had a primary marshaller as well as a wing walker on the left wing. I followed their commands until they signaled a stop. Better training for ground personnel is essential. The ramp personnel, in this case, signaled a stop too late. I have noticed deficiencies in ramp personnel training in all of our cities, ie, improper signals, not following standard procedures, etc. The only obvious remedy I see for our airline in this area is better compensation for our ramp workers and better training. It is a serious problem. Rampers routinely walk out of view during engine starts, marshall aircraft at night without lighted wands, etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND CREW ERROR CITED AS CAUSE OF MINOR CONTACT BTWN TAXIING AND PARKED ACFT.

Narrative: DURING RAMP DEP I WAS MARSHALLED TOO CLOSE TO ANOTHER ACFT. CONTACT WAS ALLEGEDLY MADE BUT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR PROOF OF SUCH. I HAD A PRIMARY MARSHALLER AS WELL AS A WING WALKER ON THE L WING. I FOLLOWED THEIR COMMANDS UNTIL THEY SIGNALED A STOP. BETTER TRAINING FOR GND PERSONNEL IS ESSENTIAL. THE RAMP PERSONNEL, IN THIS CASE, SIGNALED A STOP TOO LATE. I HAVE NOTICED DEFICIENCIES IN RAMP PERSONNEL TRAINING IN ALL OF OUR CITIES, IE, IMPROPER SIGNALS, NOT FOLLOWING STANDARD PROCS, ETC. THE ONLY OBVIOUS REMEDY I SEE FOR OUR AIRLINE IN THIS AREA IS BETTER COMPENSATION FOR OUR RAMP WORKERS AND BETTER TRAINING. IT IS A SERIOUS PROB. RAMPERS ROUTINELY WALK OUT OF VIEW DURING ENG STARTS, MARSHALL ACFT AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTED WANDS, ETC.

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.