Narrative:

Ramp control directed us to gate xy, ramp Z, wxyz. Once we entered the ramp, the plane was met by 3 ramp workers. One of the ramp personnel directed the plane to the gate. Approximately 5-10 ft from the gate, I felt and heard a bump on the left side of the aircraft. The ramp worker, who was directing the plane, signaled for us to stop. By this time, we were at the gate. At no time prior to reaching the gate did any ground personnel signal for us to stop the aircraft. The passenger began to disembark the aircraft. I exited the cockpit to inspect the plane and to learn what may have caused the bump. As I exited, flight attendant reported that a passenger had witnessed the plane impact some ground equipment. When I reached the jetway, I then inquired of a ramp person whether the plane had struck something. He responded that the plane did not hit anything, but that the plane had passed over a fuel trap. I proceeded down the jetway to inspect the airplane. I noticed a gash on the bottom of the wingtip. Subsequently, the first officer informed me that there was a witness to what had occurred, who was standing in the jetway. I spoke with the witness who explained that the wingtip had grazed a belt loader that was parked within the orange cones and yellow lines. The witness went on to explain that a ramper, who the witness idented, moved the loader away from the aircraft after the wingtip grazed it, and moments later repositioned the loader toward the rear baggage door.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL FIXED WING MDT WHILE BEING GUIDED ONTO A GATE STRUCK AN IMPROPERLY PARKED BELT LOADER INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE LOWER L WINGTIP.

Narrative: RAMP CTL DIRECTED US TO GATE XY, RAMP Z, WXYZ. ONCE WE ENTERED THE RAMP, THE PLANE WAS MET BY 3 RAMP WORKERS. ONE OF THE RAMP PERSONNEL DIRECTED THE PLANE TO THE GATE. APPROX 5-10 FT FROM THE GATE, I FELT AND HEARD A BUMP ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. THE RAMP WORKER, WHO WAS DIRECTING THE PLANE, SIGNALED FOR US TO STOP. BY THIS TIME, WE WERE AT THE GATE. AT NO TIME PRIOR TO REACHING THE GATE DID ANY GND PERSONNEL SIGNAL FOR US TO STOP THE ACFT. THE PAX BEGAN TO DISEMBARK THE ACFT. I EXITED THE COCKPIT TO INSPECT THE PLANE AND TO LEARN WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE BUMP. AS I EXITED, FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT A PAX HAD WITNESSED THE PLANE IMPACT SOME GND EQUIP. WHEN I REACHED THE JETWAY, I THEN INQUIRED OF A RAMP PERSON WHETHER THE PLANE HAD STRUCK SOMETHING. HE RESPONDED THAT THE PLANE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING, BUT THAT THE PLANE HAD PASSED OVER A FUEL TRAP. I PROCEEDED DOWN THE JETWAY TO INSPECT THE AIRPLANE. I NOTICED A GASH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINGTIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A WITNESS TO WHAT HAD OCCURRED, WHO WAS STANDING IN THE JETWAY. I SPOKE WITH THE WITNESS WHO EXPLAINED THAT THE WINGTIP HAD GRAZED A BELT LOADER THAT WAS PARKED WITHIN THE ORANGE CONES AND YELLOW LINES. THE WITNESS WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT A RAMPER, WHO THE WITNESS IDENTED, MOVED THE LOADER AWAY FROM THE ACFT AFTER THE WINGTIP GRAZED IT, AND MOMENTS LATER REPOSITIONED THE LOADER TOWARD THE REAR BAGGAGE DOOR.

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.