Narrative:

We taxied towards the ramp area and gate. Upon approaching the ramp I noticed that the gate directly across and to my left was occupied and a fuel truck was parked by its wing. As we entered the ramp area, the wing walker for my left wing gave clearance to continue. Upon reaching the turn point, where a very hard and full wheel turn must be made to line up for our gate, I started the right turn and was about 3' into the turn when the left wing impacted the fuel truck. I stopped the aircraft and shut down both engines. After checking outside to make sure there was no fuel leak in either the aircraft wing or truck, I contacted ground and operations and told them we needed to deplane the passenger by the rear stairs. The gate at chs is extremely difficult to get into and at the very least there should be 3 guidemen to help position the aircraft (left wing walker, right wing walker and nose guide). It was reported that the left wing walker did not ever give a stop signal before impact, but even if he had, the way the aircraft is built, the pilot cannot see the wing tips. So therefore, if the wing walker had given a stop signal, the pilots had no way to see it. That is the reason there should be a nose guide man at all times.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW STRUCK A FUEL TRUCK WITH THEIR WINGTIP WHILE PARKING AT CHS.

Narrative: WE TAXIED TOWARDS THE RAMP AREA AND GATE. UPON APPROACHING THE RAMP I NOTICED THAT THE GATE DIRECTLY ACROSS AND TO MY LEFT WAS OCCUPIED AND A FUEL TRUCK WAS PARKED BY ITS WING. AS WE ENTERED THE RAMP AREA, THE WING WALKER FOR MY LEFT WING GAVE CLRNC TO CONTINUE. UPON REACHING THE TURN POINT, WHERE A VERY HARD AND FULL WHEEL TURN MUST BE MADE TO LINE UP FOR OUR GATE, I STARTED THE RIGHT TURN AND WAS ABOUT 3' INTO THE TURN WHEN THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE FUEL TRUCK. I STOPPED THE ACFT AND SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGS. AFTER CHKING OUTSIDE TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAK IN EITHER THE ACFT WING OR TRUCK, I CONTACTED GND AND OPS AND TOLD THEM WE NEEDED TO DEPLANE THE PAX BY THE REAR STAIRS. THE GATE AT CHS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO AND AT THE VERY LEAST THERE SHOULD BE 3 GUIDEMEN TO HELP POS THE ACFT (LEFT WING WALKER, RIGHT WING WALKER AND NOSE GUIDE). IT WAS RPTED THAT THE LEFT WING WALKER DID NOT EVER GIVE A STOP SIGNAL BEFORE IMPACT, BUT EVEN IF HE HAD, THE WAY THE ACFT IS BUILT, THE PLT CANNOT SEE THE WING TIPS. SO THEREFORE, IF THE WING WALKER HAD GIVEN A STOP SIGNAL, THE PLTS HAD NO WAY TO SEE IT. THAT IS THE REASON THERE SHOULD BE A NOSE GUIDE MAN AT ALL TIMES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.