E120 crew hit a baggage cart while being marshalled to the gate in atl.

Attributes
ACN	490538
Time
Date	200011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 125
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground other : parking at gate
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 113 flight time total : 4070 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	490538
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We were being marshalled in to the gate with a wing walker on each side. I was focused on the marshaller as he brought us in the last few feet. As he was giving me the stop signal, I was aware of our proximity to the terminal building and I stopped just short of where he wanted us to stop. As the aircraft came to a stop, I heard and felt the left propeller strike a baggage cart. I shut down the engines and completed my shutdown procedures. I conferred with my first officer afterwards and he confirmed that I did stop before the marshaller wanted us to by a few inches. I was aware of the baggage cart, but was focused on the marshaller, so I was not aware that we were so close to it. In the future, I will be more aware of objects nearby and I will have my first officer checking left and right as I focus ahead. With baggage carts, trucks, power carts, etc, all around the ramp area, it is too easy to become too accustomed to taxiing so close to obstacles.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CREW HIT A BAGGAGE CART WHILE BEING MARSHALLED TO THE GATE IN ATL.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING MARSHALLED IN TO THE GATE WITH A WING WALKER ON EACH SIDE. I WAS FOCUSED ON THE MARSHALLER AS HE BROUGHT US IN THE LAST FEW FEET. AS HE WAS GIVING ME THE STOP SIGNAL, I WAS AWARE OF OUR PROX TO THE TERMINAL BUILDING AND I STOPPED JUST SHORT OF WHERE HE WANTED US TO STOP. AS THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP, I HEARD AND FELT THE L PROP STRIKE A BAGGAGE CART. I SHUT DOWN THE ENGS AND COMPLETED MY SHUTDOWN PROCS. I CONFERRED WITH MY FO AFTERWARDS AND HE CONFIRMED THAT I DID STOP BEFORE THE MARSHALLER WANTED US TO BY A FEW INCHES. I WAS AWARE OF THE BAGGAGE CART, BUT WAS FOCUSED ON THE MARSHALLER, SO I WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE WERE SO CLOSE TO IT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MORE AWARE OF OBJECTS NEARBY AND I WILL HAVE MY FO CHKING L AND R AS I FOCUS AHEAD. WITH BAGGAGE CARTS, TRUCKS, PWR CARTS, ETC, ALL AROUND THE RAMP AREA, IT IS TOO EASY TO BECOME TOO ACCUSTOMED TO TAXIING SO CLOSE TO OBSTACLES.

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.