Narrative:

While taxiing into gate, upon completion of flight, we were marshalled up to the gate with 2 wing walkers. As we approached the jetway, just short of the designated parking line, the marshaller suddenly stopped us. We were informed that we would be towed the rest of the way. As we sat waiting to be towed in, a maintenance person informed us we had contacted a cushman type vehicle with our left engine cowl, as we were marshalled in. The vehicle was parked in a shadow under the jetway and neither the captain nor myself saw it as we taxied toward the 'clear zone,' nor as we were marshalled up to the gate. No vehicles should be left or parked in the 'clear zone' -- especially in a shadowy area at night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT STRIKES VEHICLE WHILE UNDER GND MARSHALLER GUIDANCE AT EWR.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING INTO GATE, UPON COMPLETION OF FLT, WE WERE MARSHALLED UP TO THE GATE WITH 2 WING WALKERS. AS WE APCHED THE JETWAY, JUST SHORT OF THE DESIGNATED PARKING LINE, THE MARSHALLER SUDDENLY STOPPED US. WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULD BE TOWED THE REST OF THE WAY. AS WE SAT WAITING TO BE TOWED IN, A MAINT PERSON INFORMED US WE HAD CONTACTED A CUSHMAN TYPE VEHICLE WITH OUR L ENG COWL, AS WE WERE MARSHALLED IN. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A SHADOW UNDER THE JETWAY AND NEITHER THE CAPT NOR MYSELF SAW IT AS WE TAXIED TOWARD THE 'CLR ZONE,' NOR AS WE WERE MARSHALLED UP TO THE GATE. NO VEHICLES SHOULD BE LEFT OR PARKED IN THE 'CLR ZONE' -- ESPECIALLY IN A SHADOWY AREA AT NIGHT.

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.