Narrative:

As I came in to gate; the safety zone appeared to be clear. There was another carrier regional jet parked to the left of the gate area with its tail toward the safety zone. I assumed it was in a standard parking area. A company ramper was under the tail of the rj to spot; and a marshaller was on the tug. I continued on the J line as the marshaller brought us in. The last time I looked at the left wingtip; it looked like plenty of clearance with neither ramper giving us a signal to stop. When the marshaller on the tug gave us the stop signal; I stopped. When I looked back; the wingtip was past the rj and I could see no damage to our wingtip; or the tail of the rj. I could not tell for sure that we had made contact; but felt that we probably had. The marshaller on the tug then motioned for us to continue. After parking at the gate; the guys on the ramp said that our wingtip came in contact with the tail of the rj. I think that by the time the wing walker realized it was too close; and got the signal to the marshaller; and he got it to me; it was too late. I don't think the marshaller on the tug had a good view of left wing; due to the jetway. There was no safety line on the ground below the T tail of the rj since it was parked about 20 ft short of where the markings for our safety zone start. If you pictured the line on the side of our safety zone extending another 20 ft; the tail on the rj would probably be 3 ft inside; something none of us noticed at the time. I do not know why the rj was not in its marked parking area. Pilots and marshallers must stop the aircraft if unsure of clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW TAXIES INTO THE TAIL OF AN RJ WHILE PARKING.

Narrative: AS I CAME IN TO GATE; THE SAFETY ZONE APPEARED TO BE CLR. THERE WAS ANOTHER CARRIER REGIONAL JET PARKED TO THE L OF THE GATE AREA WITH ITS TAIL TOWARD THE SAFETY ZONE. I ASSUMED IT WAS IN A STANDARD PARKING AREA. A COMPANY RAMPER WAS UNDER THE TAIL OF THE RJ TO SPOT; AND A MARSHALLER WAS ON THE TUG. I CONTINUED ON THE J LINE AS THE MARSHALLER BROUGHT US IN. THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AT THE L WINGTIP; IT LOOKED LIKE PLENTY OF CLRNC WITH NEITHER RAMPER GIVING US A SIGNAL TO STOP. WHEN THE MARSHALLER ON THE TUG GAVE US THE STOP SIGNAL; I STOPPED. WHEN I LOOKED BACK; THE WINGTIP WAS PAST THE RJ AND I COULD SEE NO DAMAGE TO OUR WINGTIP; OR THE TAIL OF THE RJ. I COULD NOT TELL FOR SURE THAT WE HAD MADE CONTACT; BUT FELT THAT WE PROBABLY HAD. THE MARSHALLER ON THE TUG THEN MOTIONED FOR US TO CONTINUE. AFTER PARKING AT THE GATE; THE GUYS ON THE RAMP SAID THAT OUR WINGTIP CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE TAIL OF THE RJ. I THINK THAT BY THE TIME THE WING WALKER REALIZED IT WAS TOO CLOSE; AND GOT THE SIGNAL TO THE MARSHALLER; AND HE GOT IT TO ME; IT WAS TOO LATE. I DON'T THINK THE MARSHALLER ON THE TUG HAD A GOOD VIEW OF L WING; DUE TO THE JETWAY. THERE WAS NO SAFETY LINE ON THE GND BELOW THE T TAIL OF THE RJ SINCE IT WAS PARKED ABOUT 20 FT SHORT OF WHERE THE MARKINGS FOR OUR SAFETY ZONE START. IF YOU PICTURED THE LINE ON THE SIDE OF OUR SAFETY ZONE EXTENDING ANOTHER 20 FT; THE TAIL ON THE RJ WOULD PROBABLY BE 3 FT INSIDE; SOMETHING NONE OF US NOTICED AT THE TIME. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE RJ WAS NOT IN ITS MARKED PARKING AREA. PLTS AND MARSHALLERS MUST STOP THE ACFT IF UNSURE OF CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.