Narrative:

Flight from tokyo (nrt) to sfo. After a missed approach at sfo due to zero visibility, flew to alternate (oakland). On taxi in to remote parking 2 marshallers were guiding us in, one in front with wands, one right wing walker. We had discussed as a crew a row of very tall light poles that we were concerned about on parking. The captain was taxiing, watching the nose marshaller. I was watching the right wingtip, the wing walker, monitoring brake pressure, and forward speed. As we taxied at approximately 3 KTS watching the light pole clearance from the right wingtip, we stopped observing the #4 engine cowl scrape a fence. Ultimately paint scratch found on bottom of #4 engine cowl. No dented metal! Wing walker was not watching the engine cowl, but only the wingtip clearance. The forward marshaller appeared to be fixed on the nosewheel only. The communications and/or hand signals were not standard between the marshallers and between the marshallers and flight crew. The marshallers didn't appear to have a clear idea of their jobs, probably limited experience with B747's even though oak is our B747 heavy maintenance base. We initiated the stop when it became apparent there was confusion between the marshallers. Other factors: ramp uneven -- not level. Fence has numerous dog legs þ not a straight line. Fence appears to vary in ht. As pilots we can see very little of our aircraft. We are very dependent on accurate marshallers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: #4 ENG OF A B747 STRIKES FENCE DURING PARKING AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT. GND PERSONNEL MARSHALLERS FAILED TO GUIDE ACFT CLR OF ALL OBSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: FLT FROM TOKYO (NRT) TO SFO. AFTER A MISSED APCH AT SFO DUE TO ZERO VISIBILITY, FLEW TO ALTERNATE (OAKLAND). ON TAXI IN TO REMOTE PARKING 2 MARSHALLERS WERE GUIDING US IN, ONE IN FRONT WITH WANDS, ONE RIGHT WING WALKER. WE HAD DISCUSSED AS A CREW A ROW OF VERY TALL LIGHT POLES THAT WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ON PARKING. THE CAPT WAS TAXIING, WATCHING THE NOSE MARSHALLER. I WAS WATCHING THE R WINGTIP, THE WING WALKER, MONITORING BRAKE PRESSURE, AND FORWARD SPD. AS WE TAXIED AT APPROX 3 KTS WATCHING THE LIGHT POLE CLRNC FROM THE R WINGTIP, WE STOPPED OBSERVING THE #4 ENG COWL SCRAPE A FENCE. ULTIMATELY PAINT SCRATCH FOUND ON BOTTOM OF #4 ENG COWL. NO DENTED METAL! WING WALKER WAS NOT WATCHING THE ENG COWL, BUT ONLY THE WINGTIP CLRNC. THE FORWARD MARSHALLER APPEARED TO BE FIXED ON THE NOSEWHEEL ONLY. THE COMS AND/OR HAND SIGNALS WERE NOT STANDARD BTWN THE MARSHALLERS AND BTWN THE MARSHALLERS AND FLC. THE MARSHALLERS DIDN'T APPEAR TO HAVE A CLR IDEA OF THEIR JOBS, PROBABLY LIMITED EXPERIENCE WITH B747'S EVEN THOUGH OAK IS OUR B747 HVY MAINT BASE. WE INITIATED THE STOP WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THERE WAS CONFUSION BTWN THE MARSHALLERS. OTHER FACTORS: RAMP UNEVEN -- NOT LEVEL. FENCE HAS NUMEROUS DOG LEGS þ NOT A STRAIGHT LINE. FENCE APPEARS TO VARY IN HT. AS PLTS WE CAN SEE VERY LITTLE OF OUR ACFT. WE ARE VERY DEPENDENT ON ACCURATE MARSHALLERS.

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.