Narrative:

We arrived at the gate with no ramp person to guide us in. A man showed up; picked up the chocks and walked around like he didn't know what to do. He put the chocks down then got a set of unlighted wands which is illegal at night. We tried a radio call to ramp; but no answer; so we had to park with what he had. After arriving at the gate he tried several times to hook up electricity; but didn't know how to do it; so we turned on the APU. After the checklist was complete; I went out to talk to the man. The ramp man was somewhat 'dazed and confused.' he told me he wasn't trained to do this job; but his supervisor went home and told him he was the 'lead' even though he had not been instructed and signed off. This is completely unacceptable. I believe this type of operation will lead to aircraft damage and or human injury; possibly fatal. It must be corrected immediately. Maybe we need to hire more people? I have had too many ramp people doing unintended and unexpected things to me lately; including destroying a running engine. If we don't get a handle on this; someone may get killed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CAPTAIN REPORTS ACR RAMP PERSONNEL ON A NIGHT ARRIVAL DID NOT KNOW PROPER ACFT PARKING PROCEDURES OR USE LIGHTED WANDS.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE WITH NO RAMP PERSON TO GUIDE US IN. A MAN SHOWED UP; PICKED UP THE CHOCKS AND WALKED AROUND LIKE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE PUT THE CHOCKS DOWN THEN GOT A SET OF UNLIGHTED WANDS WHICH IS ILLEGAL AT NIGHT. WE TRIED A RADIO CALL TO RAMP; BUT NO ANSWER; SO WE HAD TO PARK WITH WHAT HE HAD. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE HE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO HOOK UP ELECTRICITY; BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT; SO WE TURNED ON THE APU. AFTER THE CHKLIST WAS COMPLETE; I WENT OUT TO TALK TO THE MAN. THE RAMP MAN WAS SOMEWHAT 'DAZED AND CONFUSED.' HE TOLD ME HE WASN'T TRAINED TO DO THIS JOB; BUT HIS SUPVR WENT HOME AND TOLD HIM HE WAS THE 'LEAD' EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NOT BEEN INSTRUCTED AND SIGNED OFF. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. I BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF OP WILL LEAD TO ACFT DAMAGE AND OR HUMAN INJURY; POSSIBLY FATAL. IT MUST BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. MAYBE WE NEED TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE? I HAVE HAD TOO MANY RAMP PEOPLE DOING UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED THINGS TO ME LATELY; INCLUDING DESTROYING A RUNNING ENG. IF WE DON'T GET A HANDLE ON THIS; SOMEONE MAY GET KILLED.

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.