An EMB145 comes in contact with an airstart cart while being guided into gate.

Attributes
ACN	630024
Time
Date	200409
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	630024
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	630019
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : vehicle
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While parking at the gate at dca, right wing hit airstart cart which was parked inside the red safety line. No wing walkers were present. I was looking out the right window and saw that the cart was close. I stepped on the brakes which stopped the aircraft. The guide person signaled us to keep pulling forward. I told the captain that it looked close. I called operations to inquire about a wing walker. I was told that if someone is guiding us they know what they are doing. We pulled forward a few more inches and stopped, the parking brake was set. I went outside to look and found that the right wing was in contact with the aircart. I notified the captain. Supplemental information from acn 630019: the first officer said 'stop, hit the brakes.' I took control of the brakes, set the parking brake. On the walkaround the first officer noticed the #3 vortorlon touching the aircraft. Maintenance inspected aircraft. No damage noted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 COMES IN CONTACT WITH AN AIRSTART CART WHILE BEING GUIDED INTO GATE.

Narrative: WHILE PARKING AT THE GATE AT DCA, R WING HIT AIRSTART CART WHICH WAS PARKED INSIDE THE RED SAFETY LINE. NO WING WALKERS WERE PRESENT. I WAS LOOKING OUT THE R WINDOW AND SAW THAT THE CART WAS CLOSE. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES WHICH STOPPED THE ACFT. THE GUIDE PERSON SIGNALED US TO KEEP PULLING FORWARD. I TOLD THE CAPT THAT IT LOOKED CLOSE. I CALLED OPS TO INQUIRE ABOUT A WING WALKER. I WAS TOLD THAT IF SOMEONE IS GUIDING US THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. WE PULLED FORWARD A FEW MORE INCHES AND STOPPED, THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET. I WENT OUTSIDE TO LOOK AND FOUND THAT THE R WING WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE AIRCART. I NOTIFIED THE CAPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 630019: THE FO SAID 'STOP, HIT THE BRAKES.' I TOOK CTL OF THE BRAKES, SET THE PARKING BRAKE. ON THE WALKAROUND THE FO NOTICED THE #3 VORTORLON TOUCHING THE ACFT. MAINT INSPECTED ACFT. NO DAMAGE NOTED.

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.