Narrative:

As we approached the gate area, a marshaller directed us to line up on him at about a 45 degree angle to the gate. The captain and I noticed that this would put us close to several baggage carts right side of aircraft. As we lined up on the marshaller per his instructions/directions, the captain asked how we looked over there (right side). As I looked back at the wing (only could see wingtip) I began thinking it was going to be close (clearance). At the time I was about to tell the captain to stop, I felt the aircraft start to rotate left, away from the carts. As I glanced forward, the marshaller stopped the left turn and instructed us to continue straight ahead. Looking immediately back to the wingtip and noting we didn't have the ground clearance, I yelled 'stop, stop, stop.' as the captain applied the brakes, we hit the baggage cart with our right wingtip. Though damage was minor (had to replace navigation light and lens cover) the flight was canceled. A replacement part had to be flown in later that night. The station manager came out and immediately accepted responsibility for what happened. The marshaller should have had a wing walker, per company policy. Looking back, I should have had the captain stop the aircraft the min I thought it might be 'close.' factors that may have contributed: 1) I had approximately 35 hours in type (last 2 1/2 months in training). 2) not a good night's sleep the previous night and was coming up on a 12 hour day. 3) marshaller was dressed like an air carrier ground person, but was actually a local contractor -- point being that you expect an air carrier employee to be better trained, etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW OF CL65 SUSTAINS WINGTIP STRIKE WHILE PARKING AT MCI.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED THE GATE AREA, A MARSHALLER DIRECTED US TO LINE UP ON HIM AT ABOUT A 45 DEG ANGLE TO THE GATE. THE CAPT AND I NOTICED THAT THIS WOULD PUT US CLOSE TO SEVERAL BAGGAGE CARTS R SIDE OF ACFT. AS WE LINED UP ON THE MARSHALLER PER HIS INSTRUCTIONS/DIRECTIONS, THE CAPT ASKED HOW WE LOOKED OVER THERE (R SIDE). AS I LOOKED BACK AT THE WING (ONLY COULD SEE WINGTIP) I BEGAN THINKING IT WAS GOING TO BE CLOSE (CLRNC). AT THE TIME I WAS ABOUT TO TELL THE CAPT TO STOP, I FELT THE ACFT START TO ROTATE L, AWAY FROM THE CARTS. AS I GLANCED FORWARD, THE MARSHALLER STOPPED THE L TURN AND INSTRUCTED US TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD. LOOKING IMMEDIATELY BACK TO THE WINGTIP AND NOTING WE DIDN'T HAVE THE GND CLRNC, I YELLED 'STOP, STOP, STOP.' AS THE CAPT APPLIED THE BRAKES, WE HIT THE BAGGAGE CART WITH OUR R WINGTIP. THOUGH DAMAGE WAS MINOR (HAD TO REPLACE NAV LIGHT AND LENS COVER) THE FLT WAS CANCELED. A REPLACEMENT PART HAD TO BE FLOWN IN LATER THAT NIGHT. THE STATION MGR CAME OUT AND IMMEDIATELY ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED. THE MARSHALLER SHOULD HAVE HAD A WING WALKER, PER COMPANY POLICY. LOOKING BACK, I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE CAPT STOP THE ACFT THE MIN I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE 'CLOSE.' FACTORS THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED: 1) I HAD APPROX 35 HRS IN TYPE (LAST 2 1/2 MONTHS IN TRAINING). 2) NOT A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND WAS COMING UP ON A 12 HR DAY. 3) MARSHALLER WAS DRESSED LIKE AN ACR GND PERSON, BUT WAS ACTUALLY A LCL CONTRACTOR -- POINT BEING THAT YOU EXPECT AN ACR EMPLOYEE TO BE BETTER TRAINED, ETC.

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.