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CRJ900 flight crew reports wing tip contact with tug while being marshaled into gate with wing walkers.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 783921 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200804 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | CRJ 900 (all) Canadair Regional Jet 900 |
| 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 |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 783921 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 784137 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : company policies |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Taxiing in to gate; the first officer and I noticed that there was some ground support equipment to the right of the aircraft. It appeared that clearance was minimal but a full compliment of wing walkers was present as well as some additional ramp personnel. As the aircraft was just coming to a full stop; the right wing came into contact with a tug type vehicle. After the ground crew realized what had happened; a big shouting match ensued with lots of finger pointing. I believe the right wing walker was found to be at fault by the ramp manager and a drug test was completed. The damage to the airplane was minimal with only the right forward navigation light cover being cracked. Parking an aircraft in tight quarters requires lots of teamwork and coordination by the marshaller and his wing walkers. The wing walker did not provide adequate information to the marshaller and allowed the aircraft to strike a ground vehicle. How about better training and better pay to attract more competent employees? Trying to save money in these areas always results in expensive mishaps. In the future; I will be less trusting of my marshallers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CRJ900 FLT CREW REPORTS WING TIP CONTACT WITH TUG WHILE BEING MARSHALED INTO GATE WITH WING WALKERS.
Narrative: TAXIING IN TO GATE; THE FO AND I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME GND SUPPORT EQUIP TO THE R OF THE ACFT. IT APPEARED THAT CLRNC WAS MINIMAL BUT A FULL COMPLIMENT OF WING WALKERS WAS PRESENT AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL RAMP PERSONNEL. AS THE ACFT WAS JUST COMING TO A FULL STOP; THE R WING CAME INTO CONTACT WITH A TUG TYPE VEHICLE. AFTER THE GND CREW REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED; A BIG SHOUTING MATCH ENSUED WITH LOTS OF FINGER POINTING. I BELIEVE THE R WING WALKER WAS FOUND TO BE AT FAULT BY THE RAMP MGR AND A DRUG TEST WAS COMPLETED. THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE WAS MINIMAL WITH ONLY THE R FORWARD NAV LIGHT COVER BEING CRACKED. PARKING AN ACFT IN TIGHT QUARTERS REQUIRES LOTS OF TEAMWORK AND COORD BY THE MARSHALLER AND HIS WING WALKERS. THE WING WALKER DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE INFO TO THE MARSHALLER AND ALLOWED THE ACFT TO STRIKE A GND VEHICLE. HOW ABOUT BETTER TRAINING AND BETTER PAY TO ATTRACT MORE COMPETENT EMPLOYEES? TRYING TO SAVE MONEY IN THESE AREAS ALWAYS RESULTS IN EXPENSIVE MISHAPS. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL BE LESS TRUSTING OF MY MARSHALLERS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.