Narrative:

While taxiing into gate at pit, the aircraft was positioned on the lean-in line. The areas to the left and right of the aircraft were visually cleared by myself and the first officer. As we neared the stop line a last left and right clearance was conducted and there appeared to be no obstacles. My attention then, by necessity, became focused forward so as to maintain alignment and view the stop line in the mirror. Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 ft from the stop line a ground person indicated that something was wrong, I stopped and secured the aircraft. I was subsequently advised that the left hand engine cowling had contacted a tug which had been parked beyond the safety line by ground personnel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR MLG ACFT STRUCK GND TUG WHILE TAXIING TO THE PARKING GATE.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING INTO GATE AT PIT, THE ACFT WAS POSITIONED ON THE LEAN-IN LINE. THE AREAS TO THE L AND R OF THE ACFT WERE VISUALLY CLRED BY MYSELF AND THE FO. AS WE NEARED THE STOP LINE A LAST L AND R CLRNC WAS CONDUCTED AND THERE APPEARED TO BE NO OBSTACLES. MY ATTN THEN, BY NECESSITY, BECAME FOCUSED FORWARD SO AS TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT AND VIEW THE STOP LINE IN THE MIRROR. APPROX 1 1/2 TO 2 FT FROM THE STOP LINE A GND PERSON INDICATED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, I STOPPED AND SECURED THE ACFT. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADVISED THAT THE L HAND ENG COWLING HAD CONTACTED A TUG WHICH HAD BEEN PARKED BEYOND THE SAFETY LINE BY GND PERSONNEL.

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.