B737 captain reports attempt by marshallers to park aircraft with equipment in the safety zone.

Attributes
ACN	793478
Time
Date	200807
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	793478
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Contract marshallers attempted to bring aircraft into gate even though there was a disabled piece of equipment in the safety zone. Captain brought the aircraft to a complete stop. The offending equipment was indicated to ground personnel. A tug was brought into the safety zone to push the disabled equipment out of the way. (The tug pushed the equipment very near a fuel truck; but that is a story for another day.) in spite of the equipment in the safety zone the marshaller instructing the aircraft into the gate. Contract ramp personnel and marshallers need to be advised of company policies. Additionally; with new company procedures doing away with safety wing walkers; contract marshallers need to receive instructions regarding the need for the safety zone to be clear of foreign objects.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT REPORTS ATTEMPT BY MARSHALLERS TO PARK ACFT WITH EQUIPMENT IN THE SAFETY ZONE.

Narrative: CONTRACT MARSHALLERS ATTEMPTED TO BRING ACFT INTO GATE EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A DISABLED PIECE OF EQUIP IN THE SAFETY ZONE. CAPT BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE OFFENDING EQUIP WAS INDICATED TO GND PERSONNEL. A TUG WAS BROUGHT INTO THE SAFETY ZONE TO PUSH THE DISABLED EQUIP OUT OF THE WAY. (THE TUG PUSHED THE EQUIP VERY NEAR A FUEL TRUCK; BUT THAT IS A STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY.) IN SPITE OF THE EQUIP IN THE SAFETY ZONE THE MARSHALLER INSTRUCTING THE ACFT INTO THE GATE. CONTRACT RAMP PERSONNEL AND MARSHALLERS NEED TO BE ADVISED OF COMPANY POLICIES. ADDITIONALLY; WITH NEW COMPANY PROCS DOING AWAY WITH SAFETY WING WALKERS; CONTRACT MARSHALLERS NEED TO RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE NEED FOR THE SAFETY ZONE TO BE CLR OF FOREIGN OBJECTS.

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.