Narrative:

We had an uneventful leg; approach and landing in sfo. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary; which maybe should have been a wake-up call by itself. We taxied to gate after landing on runway 28L and proceeded to park the aircraft. The only problem was that I was completely running on autoplt and got complacent; no thinking involved. The problem lies in that we parked the plane without guide man guidance. Completely against SOP. Normal SOP is; if there is no guide man waiting to park the aircraft; stop the plane at the top of the lead-in line and proceed no further. This is important for a couple of reasons: to make sure the parking area is clear of obstacles; to ensure that we use the proper lead-in line; and the proper spot to stop the aircraft to bring up the loading bridge and service the aircraft. However; for an inexplicable reason; I did not stop the aircraft. I did not wait for the guide man; proceeded to park; and stopped the aircraft only when I realized what we had done and were in imminent danger of hitting the jetbridge with the #1 engine. Continued flying on all night flts for years can lead to fatigue; in addition; stress from uncertain employment; work rules; and maximum flying times can also lead to long-term fatigue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW TAXIED TO GATE WITHOUT MARSHALLER AT SFO.

Narrative: WE HAD AN UNEVENTFUL LEG; APCH AND LNDG IN SFO. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY; WHICH MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WAKE-UP CALL BY ITSELF. WE TAXIED TO GATE AFTER LNDG ON RWY 28L AND PROCEEDED TO PARK THE ACFT. THE ONLY PROB WAS THAT I WAS COMPLETELY RUNNING ON AUTOPLT AND GOT COMPLACENT; NO THINKING INVOLVED. THE PROB LIES IN THAT WE PARKED THE PLANE WITHOUT GUIDE MAN GUIDANCE. COMPLETELY AGAINST SOP. NORMAL SOP IS; IF THERE IS NO GUIDE MAN WAITING TO PARK THE ACFT; STOP THE PLANE AT THE TOP OF THE LEAD-IN LINE AND PROCEED NO FURTHER. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS: TO MAKE SURE THE PARKING AREA IS CLR OF OBSTACLES; TO ENSURE THAT WE USE THE PROPER LEAD-IN LINE; AND THE PROPER SPOT TO STOP THE ACFT TO BRING UP THE LOADING BRIDGE AND SVC THE ACFT. HOWEVER; FOR AN INEXPLICABLE REASON; I DID NOT STOP THE ACFT. I DID NOT WAIT FOR THE GUIDE MAN; PROCEEDED TO PARK; AND STOPPED THE ACFT ONLY WHEN I REALIZED WHAT WE HAD DONE AND WERE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF HITTING THE JETBRIDGE WITH THE #1 ENG. CONTINUED FLYING ON ALL NIGHT FLTS FOR YEARS CAN LEAD TO FATIGUE; IN ADDITION; STRESS FROM UNCERTAIN EMPLOYMENT; WORK RULES; AND MAXIMUM FLYING TIMES CAN ALSO LEAD TO LONG-TERM FATIGUE.

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.