A B737 was hit in the engine by a belt loader at the gate.

Attributes
ACN	578890
Time
Date	200304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	578890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	578956
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : company policies other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Company Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Landed runway 12R and taxied to gate X. Captain and first officer both responded that safety zone was clear prior to parking at gate. We arrived on time and daylight conditions. I left aircraft for food. Ramp supervisor informed first officer that a belt loader had backed into and struck the left engine cowling. I returned to gate and inspected damage to aircraft. I called dispatch and talked to air carrier maintenance. I also talked to chief pilot on call. Because no ramp personnel would admit to driving the belt loader, I talked to ground marshaler and an assistant and both indicated to me that belt loader was not in safety zone prior to aircraft arriving at gate. I also recall that there was not an aircraft at gate Y or ramp personnel at gate Y when we arrived at X. However, a flight did arrive at gate Y approximately 8 mins after our arrival. I also asked the ramp supervisor to try to obtain the security camera video of the ramp area. Even though the damage to the engine cowling appeared to be minor, dispatch gave us another aircraft and we left sjc and proceeded. YYY maintenance replaced the pan cowling on the aircraft and it was returned to service the next day. Lessons learned: I have always been extremely vigilant about ground equipment in the safety zone. I have noticed that some ramp personnel appear to be annoyed if you make them move equipment that is just slightly over the line. However, this experience reinforces the need to not allow ramp personnel to become complacent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 WAS HIT IN THE ENG BY A BELT LOADER AT THE GATE.

Narrative: LANDED RWY 12R AND TAXIED TO GATE X. CAPT AND FO BOTH RESPONDED THAT SAFETY ZONE WAS CLR PRIOR TO PARKING AT GATE. WE ARRIVED ON TIME AND DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. I LEFT ACFT FOR FOOD. RAMP SUPVR INFORMED FO THAT A BELT LOADER HAD BACKED INTO AND STRUCK THE L ENG COWLING. I RETURNED TO GATE AND INSPECTED DAMAGE TO ACFT. I CALLED DISPATCH AND TALKED TO ACR MAINT. I ALSO TALKED TO CHIEF PLT ON CALL. BECAUSE NO RAMP PERSONNEL WOULD ADMIT TO DRIVING THE BELT LOADER, I TALKED TO GND MARSHALER AND AN ASSISTANT AND BOTH INDICATED TO ME THAT BELT LOADER WAS NOT IN SAFETY ZONE PRIOR TO ACFT ARRIVING AT GATE. I ALSO RECALL THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ACFT AT GATE Y OR RAMP PERSONNEL AT GATE Y WHEN WE ARRIVED AT X. HOWEVER, A FLT DID ARRIVE AT GATE Y APPROX 8 MINS AFTER OUR ARR. I ALSO ASKED THE RAMP SUPVR TO TRY TO OBTAIN THE SECURITY CAMERA VIDEO OF THE RAMP AREA. EVEN THOUGH THE DAMAGE TO THE ENG COWLING APPEARED TO BE MINOR, DISPATCH GAVE US ANOTHER ACFT AND WE LEFT SJC AND PROCEEDED. YYY MAINT REPLACED THE PAN COWLING ON THE ACFT AND IT WAS RETURNED TO SVC THE NEXT DAY. LESSONS LEARNED: I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EXTREMELY VIGILANT ABOUT GND EQUIP IN THE SAFETY ZONE. I HAVE NOTICED THAT SOME RAMP PERSONNEL APPEAR TO BE ANNOYED IF YOU MAKE THEM MOVE EQUIP THAT IS JUST SLIGHTLY OVER THE LINE. HOWEVER, THIS EXPERIENCE REINFORCES THE NEED TO NOT ALLOW RAMP PERSONNEL TO BECOME COMPLACENT.

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.