Aircraft parking procedure. Baggage cart struck engine nacelle.

Attributes
ACN	194998
Time
Date	199111
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 4200
ASRS Report	194998
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

As we were taxiing into gate at lax, both the captain and I observed that the area was clear. Upon termination, during the walkaround I noticed 4 dents on the #1 engine. Apparently, during the parking procedure, a train of baggage carts was apparently backed into our #1 engine. We saw nor heard anything on taxi in. There were conflicting stories from ground personnel as to when the cart was moved into the danger zone. Our ground personnel saw the driver back into our engine numerous times. The driver said he had placed the carts into the danger zone as we taxied in accidently. From the cockpit, the area was clear as we taxied in. The area between the parking areas at lax is very congested and extremely limited. Barriers have now been placed around the engine intake area to prevent baggage carts from entering the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT PARKING PROC. BAGGAGE CART STRUCK ENG NACELLE.

Narrative: AS WE WERE TAXIING INTO GATE AT LAX, BOTH THE CAPT AND I OBSERVED THAT THE AREA WAS CLR. UPON TERMINATION, DURING THE WALKAROUND I NOTICED 4 DENTS ON THE #1 ENG. APPARENTLY, DURING THE PARKING PROC, A TRAIN OF BAGGAGE CARTS WAS APPARENTLY BACKED INTO OUR #1 ENG. WE SAW NOR HEARD ANYTHING ON TAXI IN. THERE WERE CONFLICTING STORIES FROM GND PERSONNEL AS TO WHEN THE CART WAS MOVED INTO THE DANGER ZONE. OUR GND PERSONNEL SAW THE DRIVER BACK INTO OUR ENG NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DRIVER SAID HE HAD PLACED THE CARTS INTO THE DANGER ZONE AS WE TAXIED IN ACCIDENTLY. FROM THE COCKPIT, THE AREA WAS CLR AS WE TAXIED IN. THE AREA BTWN THE PARKING AREAS AT LAX IS VERY CONGESTED AND EXTREMELY LIMITED. BARRIERS HAVE NOW BEEN PLACED AROUND THE ENG INTAKE AREA TO PREVENT BAGGAGE CARTS FROM ENTERING THE AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.