B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 237; Flight Crew Type 8800
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure; Airport
Flight X departed XXX approximately 11 minutes late enroute to DCA. We landed approximately eight to ten minutes early on Runway 19. We exited the runway and began our taxi to Gate X. While taxiing to Gate X we called DCA Operations to let them know we were on the ground and to verify the gate; which was confirmed to be Gate X. We taxied into the alley and around to Gate X. There were no personnel to meet the aircraft and I taxied the aircraft onto the J-line and approximately halfway down. I did this because I believed another carrier was waiting on us so that they could push off Gate X. There was an aircraft on Gate X and X. We waited approximately one to two minutes for personnel to meet the aircraft; when one lady exited the Operations room she began to frantically look for wands; she had to go back into the building to get help; she exited the building with another person and they searched for wands and eventually found a pair of wands. They began to marshal the aircraft to the gate; we moved forward and began to taxi to the gate and were directed forward and to my left. We felt the aircraft nudge something and we thought we had run over a chock. The Marshaler continued to ask the aircraft to move forward; but the aircraft wouldn't move. Eventually they discovered that the aircraft's number one engine had struck a belt loader. The parking brake was set; tug hooked up; aircraft pushed back; tug moved and aircraft was towed to the gate. During this time I reminded the Passengers and Crew to remain in their seat with their seat belt on because we were not at the gate; I initially told the Passengers that we had a chock blocking our arrival to the gate because this is what I had thought had happened until I opened my window and looked out to see the tug. All Passengers and Crew exited the aircraft safely and without further incidence.
[Report narrative contained no additional information].
The flight crew reported that while being marshaled into the gate area an engine made contact with a stationary belt loader. After the belt loader was removed to a safe position; the aircraft was connected to a tug and pulled forward to the gate. No injuries were reported.