B737-700 flight crew while taxiing to gate encounters vehicle crossing the aircraft path.

Attributes
ACN	696206
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
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
ASRS Report	696206
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

While proceeding to the gate; we both noticed a tug towing 3 baggage bins driving fast within the white 'road' markers and apparently oblivious to our presence as he was making no effort to give way. As we were slowing to a stop; the first officer said something like 'watch out there's another one!' I looked left and another tug pulling a single cart was beginning an abrupt evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with us! During his abrupt turn away; I could see what looked like a very concerned expression on the driver's face; and I observed a large box roll out of the cart; within our wing span; in front of the jet. We stopped. The tug who was speeding toward us from the right by this time continued across our path and was considerate enough to point out the lost cargo to the other driver who promptly retrieved the box and continued on as if nothing happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW WHILE TAXIING TO GATE ENCOUNTERS VEHICLE XING THE ACFT PATH.

Narrative: WHILE PROCEEDING TO THE GATE; WE BOTH NOTICED A TUG TOWING 3 BAGGAGE BINS DRIVING FAST WITHIN THE WHITE 'ROAD' MARKERS AND APPARENTLY OBLIVIOUS TO OUR PRESENCE AS HE WAS MAKING NO EFFORT TO GIVE WAY. AS WE WERE SLOWING TO A STOP; THE FO SAID SOMETHING LIKE 'WATCH OUT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!' I LOOKED L AND ANOTHER TUG PULLING A SINGLE CART WAS BEGINNING AN ABRUPT EVASIVE MANEUVER TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH US! DURING HIS ABRUPT TURN AWAY; I COULD SEE WHAT LOOKED LIKE A VERY CONCERNED EXPRESSION ON THE DRIVER'S FACE; AND I OBSERVED A LARGE BOX ROLL OUT OF THE CART; WITHIN OUR WING SPAN; IN FRONT OF THE JET. WE STOPPED. THE TUG WHO WAS SPEEDING TOWARD US FROM THE R BY THIS TIME CONTINUED ACROSS OUR PATH AND WAS CONSIDERATE ENOUGH TO POINT OUT THE LOST CARGO TO THE OTHER DRIVER WHO PROMPTLY RETRIEVED THE BOX AND CONTINUED ON AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED.

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.