<< >> NASA ASRS Report 589371, July 2003

Flight crew of B722 struck cargo loader while parking aircraft at gate utilizing an electronic parking light guidance system.

Attributes
ACN	589371
Time
Date	200307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground other : parking
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	589371
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	589208
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : person 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : unqualified personnel
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

We stopped abeam the gate because the green light was not illuminated. After a few mins we called ramp tower and informed them that we had no green light. Maintenance arrived and approximately 2 mins later the green light illuminated. We resumed normal taxi to the gate. 2 members of maintenance were standing slightly off center off the taxi line, monitoring our progress into the gate. Aircraft was on centerline with guidance lights aligned. The green light was illuminated for the entire taxi. We heard a strange noise which was followed by maintenance flashing a flashlight at captain's window. Captain immediately stopped. After securing the aircraft, maintenance informed us that the loader was incorrectly positioned causing the aircraft to make contact with the loader. Supplemental information from acn 589005: green light at gate means maintenance has cleared gate of all obstacles and obstructions and aircraft is cleared to taxi in and park.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B722 STRUCK CARGO LOADER WHILE PARKING ACFT AT GATE UTILIZING AN ELECTRONIC PARKING LIGHT GUIDANCE SYS.

Narrative: WE STOPPED ABEAM THE GATE BECAUSE THE GREEN LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. AFTER A FEW MINS WE CALLED RAMP TWR AND INFORMED THEM THAT WE HAD NO GREEN LIGHT. MAINT ARRIVED AND APPROX 2 MINS LATER THE GREEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WE RESUMED NORMAL TAXI TO THE GATE. 2 MEMBERS OF MAINT WERE STANDING SLIGHTLY OFF CTR OFF THE TAXI LINE, MONITORING OUR PROGRESS INTO THE GATE. ACFT WAS ON CTRLINE WITH GUIDANCE LIGHTS ALIGNED. THE GREEN LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED FOR THE ENTIRE TAXI. WE HEARD A STRANGE NOISE WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY MAINT FLASHING A FLASHLIGHT AT CAPT'S WINDOW. CAPT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. AFTER SECURING THE ACFT, MAINT INFORMED US THAT THE LOADER WAS INCORRECTLY POSITIONED CAUSING THE ACFT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE LOADER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 589005: GREEN LIGHT AT GATE MEANS MAINT HAS CLRED GATE OF ALL OBSTACLES AND OBSTRUCTIONS AND ACFT IS CLRED TO TAXI IN AND PARK.

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.