Narrative:

When parked exactly on the MD80 nosewheel line at the gate in msy; the left nose tire is resting on concrete and the right nose tire is resting above sunken asphalt. The 2 surfaces are not flush. The entire nose weight of the aircraft rests on the left nose tire and the right nose tire rotates freely. Maintenance advised that this is not an acceptable parking position. The tug driver advised that this condition has existed for some time and the airport has failed to fill in the low asphalt portion. If the aircraft is parked 12 inches closer to the terminal both nose tires would rest on a level piece of concrete.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPT RPTS THE CONCRETE SURFACE UNDER THE NOSEWHEEL AT A GATE IN MSY IS SO UNEVEN THE ENTIRE NOSE GEAR LOAD IS SUPPORTED BY ONLY THE L WHEEL ASSEMBLY.

Narrative: WHEN PARKED EXACTLY ON THE MD80 NOSEWHEEL LINE AT THE GATE IN MSY; THE L NOSE TIRE IS RESTING ON CONCRETE AND THE R NOSE TIRE IS RESTING ABOVE SUNKEN ASPHALT. THE 2 SURFACES ARE NOT FLUSH. THE ENTIRE NOSE WT OF THE ACFT RESTS ON THE L NOSE TIRE AND THE R NOSE TIRE ROTATES FREELY. MAINT ADVISED THAT THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE PARKING POS. THE TUG DRIVER ADVISED THAT THIS CONDITION HAS EXISTED FOR SOME TIME AND THE ARPT HAS FAILED TO FILL IN THE LOW ASPHALT PORTION. IF THE ACFT IS PARKED 12 INCHES CLOSER TO THE TERMINAL BOTH NOSE TIRES WOULD REST ON A LEVEL PIECE OF CONCRETE.

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.