Narrative:

Taxiing into gate at ord. Snow on ground in the parking area covered the red safe area lines that ground personnel use to keep their vehicles at a safe distance for parked aircraft. On arrival the aircraft struck a lavatory service truck that was parked approximately 2 ft out of position. When taxiing into the area it is impossible for a pilot to detect this type of hazard. I believe it should be SOP to uncover red safe lines before any aircraft are assigned a parking spot and have a qualified mechanic guide man as a safety observer when an aircraft is approaching the parking spot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ACR ACFT HITS LAVATORY SVC TRUCK DURING RAMP OP ACFT PARKING PROC. RAMP CONDITION SNOW.

Narrative: TAXIING INTO GATE AT ORD. SNOW ON GND IN THE PARKING AREA COVERED THE RED SAFE AREA LINES THAT GND PERSONNEL USE TO KEEP THEIR VEHICLES AT A SAFE DISTANCE FOR PARKED ACFT. ON ARR THE ACFT STRUCK A LAVATORY SVC TRUCK THAT WAS PARKED APPROX 2 FT OUT OF POS. WHEN TAXIING INTO THE AREA IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PLT TO DETECT THIS TYPE OF HAZARD. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE SOP TO UNCOVER RED SAFE LINES BEFORE ANY ACFT ARE ASSIGNED A PARKING SPOT AND HAVE A QUALIFIED MECH GUIDE MAN AS A SAFETY OBSERVER WHEN AN ACFT IS APCHING THE PARKING SPOT.

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.