Narrative:

After landing on runway 8; we were cleared to taxi to the gate and maintain centerline until turning into our gate. Our gate was open with wingwalkers and marshaller in position and signaling for us to proceed into the gate. The gate area appeared to be clear with all equipment outside the safety zone. I initialized the left turn into the gate and proceeded normally; moving slowly and cautiously; giving full attention to the marshaller. Just prior to coming to a stop; another ramper approached the marshaller and began talking to him as if in a training situation. This was my first indication that there may have been some sort of problem. After completing the shutdown procedure; I went outside the aircraft to find that we had indeed contacted the portable airstairs with the bottom of the wingtip; leaving a scratch and crease approximately 20 inches long in the wingtip approximately 3 inches in from the outer edge. Further observation showed that although the base of the airstairs was several ft behind the safety zone line; the top landing portion of the stairs was in fact protruding into the safety zone by at least 1 ft. It appeared that the underside of the wingtip scraped along the top side of the rubber bumper portion of the airstairs. At no time did the marshaller indicate any impending danger. I would suggest that the lighting in this area be enhanced. The wingwalkers and marshaller need to pay particular attention to these large obstructions; especially when they are parked in such close proximity to the safety zone line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESPITE PRESENCE OF BOTH WING WALKERS AND A MARSHALLER; AN MD80 STRIKES PORTABLE AIR STAIRS DURING TAXI INTO GATE.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 8; WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO THE GATE AND MAINTAIN CTRLINE UNTIL TURNING INTO OUR GATE. OUR GATE WAS OPEN WITH WINGWALKERS AND MARSHALLER IN POSITION AND SIGNALING FOR US TO PROCEED INTO THE GATE. THE GATE AREA APPEARED TO BE CLEAR WITH ALL EQUIP OUTSIDE THE SAFETY ZONE. I INITIALIZED THE L TURN INTO THE GATE AND PROCEEDED NORMALLY; MOVING SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY; GIVING FULL ATTENTION TO THE MARSHALLER. JUST PRIOR TO COMING TO A STOP; ANOTHER RAMPER APCHED THE MARSHALLER AND BEGAN TALKING TO HIM AS IF IN A TRAINING SIT. THIS WAS MY FIRST INDICATION THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME SORT OF PROB. AFTER COMPLETING THE SHUTDOWN PROC; I WENT OUTSIDE THE ACFT TO FIND THAT WE HAD INDEED CONTACTED THE PORTABLE AIRSTAIRS WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE WINGTIP; LEAVING A SCRATCH AND CREASE APPROX 20 INCHES LONG IN THE WINGTIP APPROX 3 INCHES IN FROM THE OUTER EDGE. FURTHER OBSERVATION SHOWED THAT ALTHOUGH THE BASE OF THE AIRSTAIRS WAS SEVERAL FT BEHIND THE SAFETY ZONE LINE; THE TOP LANDING PORTION OF THE STAIRS WAS IN FACT PROTRUDING INTO THE SAFETY ZONE BY AT LEAST 1 FT. IT APPEARED THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WINGTIP SCRAPED ALONG THE TOP SIDE OF THE RUBBER BUMPER PORTION OF THE AIRSTAIRS. AT NO TIME DID THE MARSHALLER INDICATE ANY IMPENDING DANGER. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE LIGHTING IN THIS AREA BE ENHANCED. THE WINGWALKERS AND MARSHALLER NEED TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THESE LARGE OBSTRUCTIONS; ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE PARKED IN SUCH CLOSE PROX TO THE SAFETY ZONE LINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.