A319 ingested the hose from an air conditioning cart into the #1 engine.

Attributes
ACN	782725
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	782725
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : fod non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During taxi in to gate; we ingested a hose from an air conditioning cart into the #1 engine. The air conditioning cart appeared to not be in the clear zone for the engine as we approached the gate. At approximately 5 ft from the gate we heard unusual sounds from the left side of aircraft and immediately shut the engine down. We had wing walkers on both sides of the aircraft as we approached the gate. The ground personnel confirmed to us that the aircraft cart was not in the clear zone. The clear zone for transport jet aircraft should be reconsidered. Today's high bypass turbofans have enormous suction power and may easily draw a hose made of nylon and fiberglas towards it. The hose used on aircraft carts should also have a better way of securing itself on the cart when not in use.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 INGESTED THE HOSE FROM AN AIR CONDITIONING CART INTO THE #1 ENG.

Narrative: DURING TAXI IN TO GATE; WE INGESTED A HOSE FROM AN AIR CONDITIONING CART INTO THE #1 ENG. THE AIR CONDITIONING CART APPEARED TO NOT BE IN THE CLR ZONE FOR THE ENG AS WE APCHED THE GATE. AT APPROX 5 FT FROM THE GATE WE HEARD UNUSUAL SOUNDS FROM THE L SIDE OF ACFT AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENG DOWN. WE HAD WING WALKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ACFT AS WE APCHED THE GATE. THE GND PERSONNEL CONFIRMED TO US THAT THE ACFT CART WAS NOT IN THE CLR ZONE. THE CLR ZONE FOR TRANSPORT JET ACFT SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED. TODAY'S HIGH BYPASS TURBOFANS HAVE ENORMOUS SUCTION PWR AND MAY EASILY DRAW A HOSE MADE OF NYLON AND FIBERGLAS TOWARDS IT. THE HOSE USED ON ACFT CARTS SHOULD ALSO HAVE A BETTER WAY OF SECURING ITSELF ON THE CART WHEN NOT IN USE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.