B737-500 flight crew while taxiing to the gate contacts a catering truck with the right wingtip.

Attributes
ACN	693649
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12800 flight time type : 7800
ASRS Report	693649
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	693648
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : vehicle
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

After an uneventful flight and landing at phl; we were approaching the gate. I made positive contact with the guide man and we noted that we also had a wing walker on the right side of the aircraft for further clearance. In addition to normal equipment positioned on the ramp; there was a gate-gourmet truck parked on the right. Approaching the lead-in line from the left; it initially looked as though the truck would be clear of our path. I had slowed the aircraft to approximately 3 mph on the lead-in centerline; with directions from the guide man to continue forward and the wing walker still in position. The first officer while also monitoring clearance on the right side; realized the wing wasn't going to clear the truck and yelled 'stop; stop.' I immediately stopped the aircraft with the guide man still giving directions to continue straight ahead. I did not notice or feel any contact with the truck; but the first officer said that in fact the wingtip had hit the top of the truck. I notified the flight attendants and also told the passenger that we had made contact with a vehicle and to remain seated with the seatbelts attached. We then contacted station operations; dispatch; fodm; and maintenance. All passenger and crew deplaned normally via the air stairs. There were no comments; questions or complaints from the passenger. Supplemental information from acn 693648: looking out the right side. I realized that the wing wasn't going to clear the truck. At that time; I told the captain to 'stop; stop.' as I looked back outside; we had nicked the truck.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 FLT CREW WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE CONTACTS A CATERING TRUCK WITH THE R WINGTIP.

Narrative: AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL FLT AND LNDG AT PHL; WE WERE APCHING THE GATE. I MADE POSITIVE CONTACT WITH THE GUIDE MAN AND WE NOTED THAT WE ALSO HAD A WING WALKER ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT FOR FURTHER CLRNC. IN ADDITION TO NORMAL EQUIP POSITIONED ON THE RAMP; THERE WAS A GATE-GOURMET TRUCK PARKED ON THE R. APCHING THE LEAD-IN LINE FROM THE L; IT INITIALLY LOOKED AS THOUGH THE TRUCK WOULD BE CLR OF OUR PATH. I HAD SLOWED THE ACFT TO APPROX 3 MPH ON THE LEAD-IN CTRLINE; WITH DIRECTIONS FROM THE GUIDE MAN TO CONTINUE FORWARD AND THE WING WALKER STILL IN POS. THE FO WHILE ALSO MONITORING CLRNC ON THE R SIDE; REALIZED THE WING WASN'T GOING TO CLR THE TRUCK AND YELLED 'STOP; STOP.' I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT WITH THE GUIDE MAN STILL GIVING DIRECTIONS TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD. I DID NOT NOTICE OR FEEL ANY CONTACT WITH THE TRUCK; BUT THE FO SAID THAT IN FACT THE WINGTIP HAD HIT THE TOP OF THE TRUCK. I NOTIFIED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND ALSO TOLD THE PAX THAT WE HAD MADE CONTACT WITH A VEHICLE AND TO REMAIN SEATED WITH THE SEATBELTS ATTACHED. WE THEN CONTACTED STATION OPS; DISPATCH; FODM; AND MAINT. ALL PAX AND CREW DEPLANED NORMALLY VIA THE AIR STAIRS. THERE WERE NO COMMENTS; QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS FROM THE PAX. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 693648: LOOKING OUT THE R SIDE. I REALIZED THAT THE WING WASN'T GOING TO CLR THE TRUCK. AT THAT TIME; I TOLD THE CAPT TO 'STOP; STOP.' AS I LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE; WE HAD NICKED THE TRUCK.

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.