Narrative:

Company ground vehicles failure to yield to taxiing/towed aircraft. Ground crew procedural non-compliance; miami gate has a 30-degree angled approach due to fixed facilities and adjacent construction proximity which requires a final 30 degree turn relatively close to the gate. To avoid hazardous high powered settings in the final aligning turn; aircraft momentum must be maintained when initiating the turn. Just as I was about to initiate the aligning left turn; a belt loader driven by a man in a company uniform drove rapidly; and entirely into the safe gate clear area and into the area where the right wing and engine were about to be swung. The aircraft was stopped abruptly and there was no telling where the belt loader would go next (historically in mia; I have had belt loaders drive up the forward cargo compartment and attempt opening the door with the engines running and a couple if times even with the aircraft still moving)! Our flight manual strictly prohibits this equipment inside the clear lines and I was not about to initiate a turn without momentum. The engines were shut down to prevent engine FOD from ground equipment or personnel. Ramp control was notified of our requirement for a tow to parking and I requested a ramp manager come to the gate. I asked the ramp manager for the name of the employee who had violated the safe area but he refused but gave his own name. The ground crew then asked for the brake release and I told them I would once two pieces of equipment were moved outside the clear area lines. When the brake was released and the aircraft began movement; a couple of vehicles drove rapidly directly in front of the aircraft. I directed the driver to stop the tow and observed no wing walkers present. Where was the ramp manager? I then instructed the driver to get some wing walkers (to help stop traffic). I suspect that two are required by ramp operation procedures. Some time during the process he driver asked me; 'do you want to get to the gate or not?' I take this comment as a reflection of his view that basic ramp safety procedures are a nuisance instead of the fundamental way we conduct our business. Look; I am just trying to get the aircraft and my passengers safely to their destination; and honestly; I'd rather be flying around thunderstorms; by mountain peaks and approaches down to weather minimums than trying to park an aircraft in mia.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An Air Carrier Captain describes a ground crew and equipment encounter as his aircraft approached the gate area in MIA. The aircraft was stopped and engines shutdown so that a tow in was required. The ground crew continued to allow drivers and equipment near the aircraft before it was parked.

Narrative: Company ground vehicles failure to yield to taxiing/towed aircraft. Ground crew procedural non-compliance; Miami gate has a 30-degree angled approach due to fixed facilities and adjacent construction proximity which requires a final 30 degree turn relatively close to the gate. To avoid hazardous high powered settings in the final aligning turn; aircraft momentum must be maintained when initiating the turn. Just as I was about to initiate the aligning left turn; a belt loader driven by a man in a company uniform drove rapidly; and entirely into the Safe Gate clear area and into the area where the right wing and engine were about to be swung. The aircraft was stopped abruptly and there was no telling where the belt loader would go next (historically in MIA; I have had belt loaders drive up the forward cargo compartment and attempt opening the door with the engines running and a couple if times even with the aircraft still moving)! Our flight manual strictly prohibits this equipment inside the clear lines and I was not about to initiate a turn without momentum. The engines were shut down to prevent engine FOD from ground equipment or personnel. Ramp Control was notified of our requirement for a tow to parking and I requested a Ramp Manager come to the gate. I asked the Ramp Manager for the name of the employee who had violated the safe area but he refused but gave his own name. The ground crew then asked for the brake release and I told them I would once two pieces of equipment were moved outside the clear area lines. When the brake was released and the aircraft began movement; a couple of vehicles drove rapidly directly in front of the aircraft. I directed the driver to stop the tow and observed no wing walkers present. Where was the Ramp Manager? I then instructed the driver to get some wing walkers (to help stop traffic). I suspect that two are required by ramp operation procedures. Some time during the process he driver asked me; 'do you want to get to the gate or not?' I take this comment as a reflection of his view that basic ramp safety procedures are a nuisance instead of the fundamental way we conduct our business. Look; I am just trying to get the aircraft and my passengers safely to their destination; and honestly; I'd rather be flying around thunderstorms; by mountain peaks and approaches down to weather minimums than trying to park an aircraft in MIA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.