Narrative:

While entering ramp in atl, left wingtip/winglet impacted belt/baggage loader. I couldn't see my left wing and depended on my company's required wing walkers and marshalers to safely position my plane at my gate. My company requires that I have 2 wing walkers with 2 hand wands or 2 lighted wands at night and 1 marshaler. I had all 3, but they failed to clear my left wing and, as a result, I damaged my left wing. It appeared to be light damage, but I continue to be frustrated with the tight parking sits we continue to have in atl. It seems I can't depend on anyone to do the simple job of making sure my aircraft doesn't hit anything. I can't clear my wings because I can't see them while taxiing the aircraft, but have to rely on my company's rampers. After the impact I submitted to a drug test. It doesn't seem fair or right that I have to submit to a drug test when I wasn't at fault! I was put on 1 week paid suspension, but find it unwarranted and unjust. I guess the reason is because they were waiting for my urinalysis results. This ramp situation will continue to result in damage and injuries and cost millions of dollars worth of damage until they provide decent, hard working, better paid rampers. Also, just for the record, the marshaler gave me the stop signal after impacting my wing. Thank you. I figure the stop signal should come before the impact.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF CL65 IS DISCIPLINED BY HIS COMPANY WHEN GND MARSHALERS GUIDE HIM TO PARK AT ATL AND THE ACFT HITS A BAGGAGE LOADER.

Narrative: WHILE ENTERING RAMP IN ATL, L WINGTIP/WINGLET IMPACTED BELT/BAGGAGE LOADER. I COULDN'T SEE MY L WING AND DEPENDED ON MY COMPANY'S REQUIRED WING WALKERS AND MARSHALERS TO SAFELY POS MY PLANE AT MY GATE. MY COMPANY REQUIRES THAT I HAVE 2 WING WALKERS WITH 2 HAND WANDS OR 2 LIGHTED WANDS AT NIGHT AND 1 MARSHALER. I HAD ALL 3, BUT THEY FAILED TO CLR MY L WING AND, AS A RESULT, I DAMAGED MY L WING. IT APPEARED TO BE LIGHT DAMAGE, BUT I CONTINUE TO BE FRUSTRATED WITH THE TIGHT PARKING SITS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE IN ATL. IT SEEMS I CAN'T DEPEND ON ANYONE TO DO THE SIMPLE JOB OF MAKING SURE MY ACFT DOESN'T HIT ANYTHING. I CAN'T CLR MY WINGS BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE THEM WHILE TAXIING THE ACFT, BUT HAVE TO RELY ON MY COMPANY'S RAMPERS. AFTER THE IMPACT I SUBMITTED TO A DRUG TEST. IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR OR RIGHT THAT I HAVE TO SUBMIT TO A DRUG TEST WHEN I WASN'T AT FAULT! I WAS PUT ON 1 WK PAID SUSPENSION, BUT FIND IT UNWARRANTED AND UNJUST. I GUESS THE REASON IS BECAUSE THEY WERE WAITING FOR MY URINALYSIS RESULTS. THIS RAMP SIT WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN DAMAGE AND INJURIES AND COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE UNTIL THEY PROVIDE DECENT, HARD WORKING, BETTER PAID RAMPERS. ALSO, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE MARSHALER GAVE ME THE STOP SIGNAL AFTER IMPACTING MY WING. THANK YOU. I FIGURE THE STOP SIGNAL SHOULD COME BEFORE THE IMPACT.

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.