Narrative:

During the final phase of parking at gate X with the left engine running (right engine shut down), the bottom half of a clipboard was partially ingested into the left engine's fan section. Parts of the clipboard were found beyond the engine up to approximately 20-25 ft. A passenger and several employees observed and reported the event. The left engine was used for taxi during the final phase of parking. A momentary power application of approximately 28% N1 was used to taxi into the parking spot, the engines were at idle while completing the last 5-7 ft of taxi. Winds were calm so the speed of the engine must have been the reason that the clipboard was 'sucked' into the engine fan assembly. This clipboard is attached to the jetway with a 10-15 ft long cable lanyard and dangles loosely from the top of the jetway's outside stair landing. The fuelers clip the fuel sheet to the clipboard so that the csr (customer service representative) may take the sheet to the flight crew. A station personnel had stated that the cable length used to be shorter but the fueling department had requested that the cable be lengthened to reduce the stain placed on the fuelers induced by reaching up to clip the fuel sheet. A maintenance inspection concluded that no damage was done to the turbine section. The aircraft and crew had a non-eventful dispatch to ZZZ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200, WHILE IN FINAL STAGE OF PARKING AT A TERMINAL GATE HAS A CLIPBOARD INGESTED INTO THE L ENG. INSPECTION OF ENG FAN AND TURBINE OK FOR SVC.

Narrative: DURING THE FINAL PHASE OF PARKING AT GATE X WITH THE L ENG RUNNING (R ENG SHUT DOWN), THE BOTTOM HALF OF A CLIPBOARD WAS PARTIALLY INGESTED INTO THE L ENG'S FAN SECTION. PARTS OF THE CLIPBOARD WERE FOUND BEYOND THE ENG UP TO APPROX 20-25 FT. A PAX AND SEVERAL EMPLOYEES OBSERVED AND RPTED THE EVENT. THE L ENG WAS USED FOR TAXI DURING THE FINAL PHASE OF PARKING. A MOMENTARY PWR APPLICATION OF APPROX 28% N1 WAS USED TO TAXI INTO THE PARKING SPOT, THE ENGS WERE AT IDLE WHILE COMPLETING THE LAST 5-7 FT OF TAXI. WINDS WERE CALM SO THE SPD OF THE ENG MUST HAVE BEEN THE REASON THAT THE CLIPBOARD WAS 'SUCKED' INTO THE ENG FAN ASSEMBLY. THIS CLIPBOARD IS ATTACHED TO THE JETWAY WITH A 10-15 FT LONG CABLE LANYARD AND DANGLES LOOSELY FROM THE TOP OF THE JETWAY'S OUTSIDE STAIR LNDG. THE FUELERS CLIP THE FUEL SHEET TO THE CLIPBOARD SO THAT THE CSR (CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVE) MAY TAKE THE SHEET TO THE FLT CREW. A STATION PERSONNEL HAD STATED THAT THE CABLE LENGTH USED TO BE SHORTER BUT THE FUELING DEPT HAD REQUESTED THAT THE CABLE BE LENGTHENED TO REDUCE THE STAIN PLACED ON THE FUELERS INDUCED BY REACHING UP TO CLIP THE FUEL SHEET. A MAINT INSPECTION CONCLUDED THAT NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE TURBINE SECTION. THE ACFT AND CREW HAD A NON-EVENTFUL DISPATCH TO ZZZ.

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.