Narrative:

As I was parking the aircraft at gate; I noticed that the person holding the chocks was standing inside the safety zone. I stopped the aircraft and motioned for him to move out of the safety zone. He just stood there and looked at me and did not move until the gate agent yelled down at him to move. I continued to park the aircraft watching both the ramper and the marshaller. It looked to me as if the ramper was going to walk back into the safety zone and my attention was diverted to him. As I looked forward at the marshaller; he already was giving the stop signal. I immediately stopped the aircraft and then realized I had gone past the stopping spot. The marshaller got on the headset and informed me that he needed to repos the aircraft. I apologized to him and told him that I had stopped the aircraft the first time because the ramper was in the safety zone and that I missed his stop signal because I was concerned that the ramper would re-enter the safety zone. He hooked the tow bar to the aircraft and moved it back into position. I was relieved that I had not hit the tow bar and was later informed by the gate agent that the #1 engine had come close to the jetway. In trying to create a safe situation for the ground crew; another unsafe situation was created. Something needs to be done now about the safety zone before someone gets hurt or more equipment is damaged. The rampers need to stay out of the safety zone and in view of the cockpit crew until the aircraft is stopped. I will definitely be more aware of this potential problem in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CAPT TAXIES PAST THE STOPPING SPOT ON TAXI IN WHILE ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO A RAMPER IN THE SAFETY ZONE.

Narrative: AS I WAS PARKING THE ACFT AT GATE; I NOTICED THAT THE PERSON HOLDING THE CHOCKS WAS STANDING INSIDE THE SAFETY ZONE. I STOPPED THE ACFT AND MOTIONED FOR HIM TO MOVE OUT OF THE SAFETY ZONE. HE JUST STOOD THERE AND LOOKED AT ME AND DID NOT MOVE UNTIL THE GATE AGENT YELLED DOWN AT HIM TO MOVE. I CONTINUED TO PARK THE ACFT WATCHING BOTH THE RAMPER AND THE MARSHALLER. IT LOOKED TO ME AS IF THE RAMPER WAS GOING TO WALK BACK INTO THE SAFETY ZONE AND MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO HIM. AS I LOOKED FORWARD AT THE MARSHALLER; HE ALREADY WAS GIVING THE STOP SIGNAL. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT AND THEN REALIZED I HAD GONE PAST THE STOPPING SPOT. THE MARSHALLER GOT ON THE HEADSET AND INFORMED ME THAT HE NEEDED TO REPOS THE ACFT. I APOLOGIZED TO HIM AND TOLD HIM THAT I HAD STOPPED THE ACFT THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE THE RAMPER WAS IN THE SAFETY ZONE AND THAT I MISSED HIS STOP SIGNAL BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE RAMPER WOULD RE-ENTER THE SAFETY ZONE. HE HOOKED THE TOW BAR TO THE ACFT AND MOVED IT BACK INTO POS. I WAS RELIEVED THAT I HAD NOT HIT THE TOW BAR AND WAS LATER INFORMED BY THE GATE AGENT THAT THE #1 ENG HAD COME CLOSE TO THE JETWAY. IN TRYING TO CREATE A SAFE SITUATION FOR THE GND CREW; ANOTHER UNSAFE SITUATION WAS CREATED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW ABOUT THE SAFETY ZONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR MORE EQUIP IS DAMAGED. THE RAMPERS NEED TO STAY OUT OF THE SAFETY ZONE AND IN VIEW OF THE COCKPIT CREW UNTIL THE ACFT IS STOPPED. I WILL DEFINITELY BE MORE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL PROB IN THE FUTURE.

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.