Narrative:

We were assigned gate and realized, on review before beginning descent, that this gate had a parking system unique to us. We reviewed and briefed the 2 elements of the system approach and line-up. WX was bad at ord, and we had a last min runway change to runway 9R. After exit at taxiway M6, we were cleared straight to the gate. I picked up the line-up green bar, and taxied in with the approach lights red. Luckily, we stopped in the right spot and aircraft repos was not required, and no damage occurred. The agent related this was not the first occurrence with S80 crews. This was my first exposure to the system, and even after a thorough review, made a significant error. Supplemental information from acn 578435: we were assigned gate at the ord international terminal. We reviewed the self-parking system in detail, prior to arrival. After landing on runway 9R, we had a very short taxi to the gate, wherein I was involved with the after-landing checklist. The captain approached the gate, using the self-parking system. Guide men were not waiting to meet our aircraft. When I looked up to see that the self-parking system light was red, I brought this to the captain's attention. He stopped the aircraft immediately. By this time, the aircraft was coincidentally in a proper position for the jetbridge. We had, however, approached the gate with a red light on the self-parking system, and no guide men to marshall the aircraft. No damage was done, but the agent mentioned that this had occurred a number of times with unfamiliar S80 crews. This was my first time to be exposed to the self-parking system at ord.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW ENTERED AN INTL GATE WITH SELF PARKING LIGHTS, WHEN THE LIGHTS SHOWED RED.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED GATE AND REALIZED, ON REVIEW BEFORE BEGINNING DSCNT, THAT THIS GATE HAD A PARKING SYS UNIQUE TO US. WE REVIEWED AND BRIEFED THE 2 ELEMENTS OF THE SYS APCH AND LINE-UP. WX WAS BAD AT ORD, AND WE HAD A LAST MIN RWY CHANGE TO RWY 9R. AFTER EXIT AT TXWY M6, WE WERE CLRED STRAIGHT TO THE GATE. I PICKED UP THE LINE-UP GREEN BAR, AND TAXIED IN WITH THE APCH LIGHTS RED. LUCKILY, WE STOPPED IN THE RIGHT SPOT AND ACFT REPOS WAS NOT REQUIRED, AND NO DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE AGENT RELATED THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WITH S80 CREWS. THIS WAS MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO THE SYS, AND EVEN AFTER A THOROUGH REVIEW, MADE A SIGNIFICANT ERROR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 578435: WE WERE ASSIGNED GATE AT THE ORD INTL TERMINAL. WE REVIEWED THE SELF-PARKING SYS IN DETAIL, PRIOR TO ARR. AFTER LNDG ON RWY 9R, WE HAD A VERY SHORT TAXI TO THE GATE, WHEREIN I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE AFTER-LNDG CHKLIST. THE CAPT APCHED THE GATE, USING THE SELF-PARKING SYS. GUIDE MEN WERE NOT WAITING TO MEET OUR ACFT. WHEN I LOOKED UP TO SEE THAT THE SELF-PARKING SYS LIGHT WAS RED, I BROUGHT THIS TO THE CAPT'S ATTN. HE STOPPED THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY. BY THIS TIME, THE ACFT WAS COINCIDENTALLY IN A PROPER POS FOR THE JETBRIDGE. WE HAD, HOWEVER, APCHED THE GATE WITH A RED LIGHT ON THE SELF-PARKING SYS, AND NO GUIDE MEN TO MARSHALL THE ACFT. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE, BUT THE AGENT MENTIONED THAT THIS HAD OCCURRED A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH UNFAMILIAR S80 CREWS. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO BE EXPOSED TO THE SELF-PARKING SYS AT ORD.

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.