Widebody transport aircraft strikes air stand while under marshaller control at ewr.

Attributes
ACN	408885
Time
Date	199807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 12500
ASRS Report	408885
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	409102
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I taxiied to the lead-in point for gate X, ewr, and then followed the marshaller's signal in to the gate. The marshaling was abnormal in that we were brought in wider than usual and given an emergency stop signal. I commented to the first officer about this being unusual. I then realized the marshaller was positioned to the left of the aircraft. The first officer called to me from the rear and pointed out the position of the airstairs in close proximity to the cowling of the #2 engine. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the pilot stated that the air stand contacted the #2 engine cowling. Little damage was sustained. He also stated that he later discovered that the 'envelope' lines which ensure that the gate area is free from obstructing vehicles, etc, were not the proper dimensions for his aircraft. He has followed up with his company about this situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ACFT STRIKES AIR STAND WHILE UNDER MARSHALLER CTL AT EWR.

Narrative: I TAXIIED TO THE LEAD-IN POINT FOR GATE X, EWR, AND THEN FOLLOWED THE MARSHALLER'S SIGNAL IN TO THE GATE. THE MARSHALING WAS ABNORMAL IN THAT WE WERE BROUGHT IN WIDER THAN USUAL AND GIVEN AN EMER STOP SIGNAL. I COMMENTED TO THE FO ABOUT THIS BEING UNUSUAL. I THEN REALIZED THE MARSHALLER WAS POSITIONED TO THE L OF THE ACFT. THE FO CALLED TO ME FROM THE REAR AND POINTED OUT THE POS OF THE AIRSTAIRS IN CLOSE PROX TO THE COWLING OF THE #2 ENG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PLT STATED THAT THE AIR STAND CONTACTED THE #2 ENG COWLING. LITTLE DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE 'ENVELOPE' LINES WHICH ENSURE THAT THE GATE AREA IS FREE FROM OBSTRUCTING VEHICLES, ETC, WERE NOT THE PROPER DIMENSIONS FOR HIS ACFT. HE HAS FOLLOWED UP WITH HIS COMPANY ABOUT THIS SIT.

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.