A B737-800 PIC experiences a #1 engine cowl strike on a misparked jetway during a night parking oper...

Attributes
ACN	537745
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2704
ASRS Report	537745
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : gnd 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

As I pulled in to the gate at atl, the aircraft struck the jetway with the #1 engine. As I approached the parking spot, I felt that the jetway and tug were not in normal position. I came to a stop at what I felt was the normal parking position, although the parking light system still showed green for continue. After stopping, with the light still green, I advanced power and slowly moved forward, finally getting a yellow, then a red light, at which I stopped. After several mins of sitting there, no one talking to us, I opened the captain's window to find someone to ask. I then saw several people looking at the jetway which appeared very close to the #1 engine. I was told they may have touched. After the jetway was moved away, a scratch and dent no more than 6 inches long was found on the top of the #1 engine cowl. On further observation, the jetway was not parked in the box. Also, the parking director did not assess the area prior to our arrival (apparently) to ensure all was prepared. The parking director also did not monitor the aircraft approach of the engine and the jetway, even though he was standing at the base end of the jetway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 PIC EXPERIENCES A #1 ENG COWL STRIKE ON A MISPARKED JETWAY DURING A NIGHT PARKING OP AT ATL, GA.

Narrative: AS I PULLED IN TO THE GATE AT ATL, THE ACFT STRUCK THE JETWAY WITH THE #1 ENG. AS I APCHED THE PARKING SPOT, I FELT THAT THE JETWAY AND TUG WERE NOT IN NORMAL POS. I CAME TO A STOP AT WHAT I FELT WAS THE NORMAL PARKING POS, ALTHOUGH THE PARKING LIGHT SYS STILL SHOWED GREEN FOR CONTINUE. AFTER STOPPING, WITH THE LIGHT STILL GREEN, I ADVANCED PWR AND SLOWLY MOVED FORWARD, FINALLY GETTING A YELLOW, THEN A RED LIGHT, AT WHICH I STOPPED. AFTER SEVERAL MINS OF SITTING THERE, NO ONE TALKING TO US, I OPENED THE CAPT'S WINDOW TO FIND SOMEONE TO ASK. I THEN SAW SEVERAL PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE JETWAY WHICH APPEARED VERY CLOSE TO THE #1 ENG. I WAS TOLD THEY MAY HAVE TOUCHED. AFTER THE JETWAY WAS MOVED AWAY, A SCRATCH AND DENT NO MORE THAN 6 INCHES LONG WAS FOUND ON THE TOP OF THE #1 ENG COWL. ON FURTHER OBSERVATION, THE JETWAY WAS NOT PARKED IN THE BOX. ALSO, THE PARKING DIRECTOR DID NOT ASSESS THE AREA PRIOR TO OUR ARR (APPARENTLY) TO ENSURE ALL WAS PREPARED. THE PARKING DIRECTOR ALSO DID NOT MONITOR THE ACFT APCH OF THE ENG AND THE JETWAY, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS STANDING AT THE BASE END OF THE JETWAY.

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.

A B737-800 PIC experiences a #1 engine cowl strike on a misparked jetway during a night parking operation at atl, GA.