Narrative:

While taxiing into the gate after completing our flight we encountered problems at the gate which delayed our arrival. As we arrived at the entrance to the 'J' line; we noticed that the marshaller was attempting to marshall us in with unlit day wands. Since it was dark; we stopped the jet; asked the passenger to remain seated with seat belts fastened; and advised operations that we needed a marshaller with lighted wands. While we were communicating to the passenger and operations; the marshaller with the day wands continued to attempt to marshall us in (as if he had no idea why we had stopped outside the safety zone). Finally; another marshaller arrived with lighted wands and marshalled us into the gate. The jetway was broken; so our passenger waited approximately 10 mins onboard the jet while maintenance personnel fixed the jetway. I spoke to a ground operations supervisor concerning the marshaller who was ignoring company procedures by using day wands at night; instead of the required lighted wands. The supervisor said he would track down the marshaller and do some additional training. Ground operations needs to conduct more training with the ramp agents and; if necessary; periodic briefings to communicate the importance of following the company procedures in the safety zone (ie; using lighted wands). Marshallers are required to use lighted wands at night as dictated by their manual. However; the pilot's fom does not match the ground operations manual. The fom 'entering the safety zone and parking' section says that 'at night; the marshaller is required to use wands.' the pilot's fom should read the same as the ground operations manual by reading 'at night; the marshaller is required to use lighted wands.' the pilots will be more likely to enforce this safety procedure if it appears in the fom. I recommend that this fom change be made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW DELAYS TAXI INTO GATE UNTIL MARSHALLER UTILIZES LIGHTED WANDS FOR NIGHT GUIDANCE.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING INTO THE GATE AFTER COMPLETING OUR FLT WE ENCOUNTERED PROBS AT THE GATE WHICH DELAYED OUR ARR. AS WE ARRIVED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE 'J' LINE; WE NOTICED THAT THE MARSHALLER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MARSHALL US IN WITH UNLIT DAY WANDS. SINCE IT WAS DARK; WE STOPPED THE JET; ASKED THE PAX TO REMAIN SEATED WITH SEAT BELTS FASTENED; AND ADVISED OPS THAT WE NEEDED A MARSHALLER WITH LIGHTED WANDS. WHILE WE WERE COMMUNICATING TO THE PAX AND OPS; THE MARSHALLER WITH THE DAY WANDS CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO MARSHALL US IN (AS IF HE HAD NO IDEA WHY WE HAD STOPPED OUTSIDE THE SAFETY ZONE). FINALLY; ANOTHER MARSHALLER ARRIVED WITH LIGHTED WANDS AND MARSHALLED US INTO THE GATE. THE JETWAY WAS BROKEN; SO OUR PAX WAITED APPROX 10 MINS ONBOARD THE JET WHILE MAINT PERSONNEL FIXED THE JETWAY. I SPOKE TO A GND OPS SUPVR CONCERNING THE MARSHALLER WHO WAS IGNORING COMPANY PROCS BY USING DAY WANDS AT NIGHT; INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED LIGHTED WANDS. THE SUPVR SAID HE WOULD TRACK DOWN THE MARSHALLER AND DO SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING. GND OPS NEEDS TO CONDUCT MORE TRAINING WITH THE RAMP AGENTS AND; IF NECESSARY; PERIODIC BRIEFINGS TO COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE COMPANY PROCS IN THE SAFETY ZONE (IE; USING LIGHTED WANDS). MARSHALLERS ARE REQUIRED TO USE LIGHTED WANDS AT NIGHT AS DICTATED BY THEIR MANUAL. HOWEVER; THE PLT'S FOM DOES NOT MATCH THE GND OPS MANUAL. THE FOM 'ENTERING THE SAFETY ZONE AND PARKING' SECTION SAYS THAT 'AT NIGHT; THE MARSHALLER IS REQUIRED TO USE WANDS.' THE PLT'S FOM SHOULD READ THE SAME AS THE GND OPS MANUAL BY READING 'AT NIGHT; THE MARSHALLER IS REQUIRED TO USE LIGHTED WANDS.' THE PLTS WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO ENFORCE THIS SAFETY PROC IF IT APPEARS IN THE FOM. I RECOMMEND THAT THIS FOM CHANGE BE MADE.

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.