A CL65 flight crew hit a baggage loader with their left wing while being guided into a gate.

Attributes
ACN	595728
Time
Date	200310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : 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 : 197 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	595728
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1150
ASRS Report	595731
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Company Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

Aircraft flight from tpa to atl. ATC cleared us to the gate. Upon arriving, we observed 2 wing walkers and a marshaller. I slowly made a right hand turn following the marshalers instruction. As we lined up with the gate, the marshaller continued to marshal us forward when we felt the aircraft contact something. The marshaller was still directing us forward, but I brought the aircraft to a stop. The ground crew dispersed. I finished the checklist and deplaned to find damage to the left wing. Contributing factors: the marshaller had only started this job 3 days prior. The best loader was painted yellow, but the top guide bar (which made contact with our wing) was covered in black tape, thereby making it all but invisible at night. Supplemental information from acn 595731: the left wingtip struck a bag loader. I believe the captain was watching the marshaller and the marshaller was looking at the nosewheel. The marshaller therefore did not see his wing walker trying to signal him to stop. I was looking out the right window to make sure the right wing was clear of all ground equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 FLT CREW HIT A BAGGAGE LOADER WITH THEIR L WING WHILE BEING GUIDED INTO A GATE.

Narrative: ACFT FLT FROM TPA TO ATL. ATC CLRED US TO THE GATE. UPON ARRIVING, WE OBSERVED 2 WING WALKERS AND A MARSHALLER. I SLOWLY MADE A R HAND TURN FOLLOWING THE MARSHALERS INSTRUCTION. AS WE LINED UP WITH THE GATE, THE MARSHALLER CONTINUED TO MARSHAL US FORWARD WHEN WE FELT THE ACFT CONTACT SOMETHING. THE MARSHALLER WAS STILL DIRECTING US FORWARD, BUT I BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP. THE GND CREW DISPERSED. I FINISHED THE CHKLIST AND DEPLANED TO FIND DAMAGE TO THE L WING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE MARSHALLER HAD ONLY STARTED THIS JOB 3 DAYS PRIOR. THE BEST LOADER WAS PAINTED YELLOW, BUT THE TOP GUIDE BAR (WHICH MADE CONTACT WITH OUR WING) WAS COVERED IN BLACK TAPE, THEREBY MAKING IT ALL BUT INVISIBLE AT NIGHT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 595731: THE L WINGTIP STRUCK A BAG LOADER. I BELIEVE THE CAPT WAS WATCHING THE MARSHALLER AND THE MARSHALLER WAS LOOKING AT THE NOSEWHEEL. THE MARSHALLER THEREFORE DID NOT SEE HIS WING WALKER TRYING TO SIGNAL HIM TO STOP. I WAS LOOKING OUT THE R WINDOW TO MAKE SURE THE R WING WAS CLR OF ALL GND EQUIP.

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.