A B757 captain describes a ramp worker giving an emergency stop signal to prevent a collision with a...

Attributes
ACN	806677
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	806677
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We were parking at gate. Everything on the docking system board indicated we were perfect. About 21 ft from parking; the copilot gave the 'prepare for arrival' PA. Then I saw a fleet service guy running toward us panicking. He was giving us an emergency stop signal. We stopped 16 ft short. We later found out that the jet bridge (I'm unable to see it in that position) was out of place and our left engine was close to hitting it. Additionally the flight attendants had dis-armed the doors 16 ft short of parking. We sat there for about a minute for the jet bridge to be re-positioned with unarmed slides. This was the flight attendants' fault and I really wasn't thinking about that at the time. Fortunately; there was no problem due to a quick thinking ramp guy. But it once again proves how the flight department lies to us about this system. I thought that the guidance board was not supposed to work if something is in conflict? This was not the case here and I could not see the jet bridge. We later talked to the ramper to thank him and get the details of what happened. He then told us that this had also happened yesterday as well as before. He and his colleagues have reported it and have been ignored by management. This needs to be fixed or a guideman needs to be placed there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CAPT DESCRIBES A RAMP WORKER GIVING AN EMER STOP SIGNAL TO PREVENT A COLLISION WITH AN IMPROPERLY PARKED JETWAY AS THE ACFT APCHED A GATE WITH AUTO PARKING LIGHTS.

Narrative: WE WERE PARKING AT GATE. EVERYTHING ON THE DOCKING SYSTEM BOARD INDICATED WE WERE PERFECT. ABOUT 21 FT FROM PARKING; THE COPLT GAVE THE 'PREPARE FOR ARRIVAL' PA. THEN I SAW A FLEET SERVICE GUY RUNNING TOWARD US PANICKING. HE WAS GIVING US AN EMER STOP SIGNAL. WE STOPPED 16 FT SHORT. WE LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE JET BRIDGE (I'M UNABLE TO SEE IT IN THAT POSITION) WAS OUT OF PLACE AND OUR LEFT ENG WAS CLOSE TO HITTING IT. ADDITIONALLY THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD DIS-ARMED THE DOORS 16 FT SHORT OF PARKING. WE SAT THERE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE FOR THE JET BRIDGE TO BE RE-POSITIONED WITH UNARMED SLIDES. THIS WAS THE FLT ATTENDANTS' FAULT AND I REALLY WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THAT AT THE TIME. FORTUNATELY; THERE WAS NO PROB DUE TO A QUICK THINKING RAMP GUY. BUT IT ONCE AGAIN PROVES HOW THE FLT DEPARTMENT LIES TO US ABOUT THIS SYSTEM. I THOUGHT THAT THE GUIDANCE BOARD WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO WORK IF SOMETHING IS IN CONFLICT? THIS WAS NOT THE CASE HERE AND I COULD NOT SEE THE JET BRIDGE. WE LATER TALKED TO THE RAMPER TO THANK HIM AND GET THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED. HE THEN TOLD US THAT THIS HAD ALSO HAPPENED YESTERDAY AS WELL AS BEFORE. HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE REPORTED IT AND HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY MANAGEMENT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR A GUIDEMAN NEEDS TO BE PLACED THERE.

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.

A B757 captain describes a ramp worker giving an emergency stop signal to prevent a collision with an improperly parked jetway as the aircraft approached a gate with automatic parking lights.