Narrative:

Precipitation made the lead-in and safety lines difficult to see. They should be repainted before winter. As we began to line up with the lead-in line; we noticed 2 belt loaders that appeared to cross captain's side safety line. Stopped the aircraft to determine the actual position of the ground equipment. It was immediately apparent the ground equipment was across the safety line. However; the captain's wing and the lead marshaller continued to direct movement toward the gate! We sat; they waved. Called operations for help. Finally; the wing marshaller moved one of the belt loaders and tried to move the other loader with no success. So he then went back to giving the all clear signal. I opened my window and directed him to approach the aircraft. He informed me the loader was broken and could not be moved. I told him it must be moved before we would move. He said ok and went back to the safety line and again gave the all clear signal. English was not his first language. Another call to operations to discover this crew did not possess a radio. No surprise! Finally a supervisor came; the loader was moved; and we continued to taxi to the gate. Hire an honest and competent ramp crew. If that proves impossible then at least emphasize the danger of directing an aircraft into ground equipment. Dangerous disregard of established procedures by the ramp crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPTAIN REPORTS MARSHALLER ATTEMPTING TO MARSHAL HIS ACFT INTO GATE WITH GROUND EQUIPMENT OVER THE SAFETY LINES.

Narrative: PRECIPITATION MADE THE LEAD-IN AND SAFETY LINES DIFFICULT TO SEE. THEY SHOULD BE REPAINTED BEFORE WINTER. AS WE BEGAN TO LINE UP WITH THE LEAD-IN LINE; WE NOTICED 2 BELT LOADERS THAT APPEARED TO CROSS CAPT'S SIDE SAFETY LINE. STOPPED THE ACFT TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL POS OF THE GND EQUIP. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THE GND EQUIP WAS ACROSS THE SAFETY LINE. HOWEVER; THE CAPT'S WING AND THE LEAD MARSHALLER CONTINUED TO DIRECT MOVEMENT TOWARD THE GATE! WE SAT; THEY WAVED. CALLED OPS FOR HELP. FINALLY; THE WING MARSHALLER MOVED ONE OF THE BELT LOADERS AND TRIED TO MOVE THE OTHER LOADER WITH NO SUCCESS. SO HE THEN WENT BACK TO GIVING THE ALL CLR SIGNAL. I OPENED MY WINDOW AND DIRECTED HIM TO APCH THE ACFT. HE INFORMED ME THE LOADER WAS BROKEN AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. I TOLD HIM IT MUST BE MOVED BEFORE WE WOULD MOVE. HE SAID OK AND WENT BACK TO THE SAFETY LINE AND AGAIN GAVE THE ALL CLR SIGNAL. ENGLISH WAS NOT HIS FIRST LANGUAGE. ANOTHER CALL TO OPS TO DISCOVER THIS CREW DID NOT POSSESS A RADIO. NO SURPRISE! FINALLY A SUPVR CAME; THE LOADER WAS MOVED; AND WE CONTINUED TO TAXI TO THE GATE. HIRE AN HONEST AND COMPETENT RAMP CREW. IF THAT PROVES IMPOSSIBLE THEN AT LEAST EMPHASIZE THE DANGER OF DIRECTING AN ACFT INTO GND EQUIP. DANGEROUS DISREGARD OF ESTABLISHED PROCS BY THE RAMP CREW.

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.