Commercial Fixed Wing
Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Vehicle
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Equipment / Tooling
Setting up departure flight with the lead; picked up push tractor from [another] gate. I drove to gate ZZ; made left and drove on VSR (vehicle service road) of co-pilot side making sure to stay outside OSZ (operations service zone); then made left hand turn to position tractor in front of 737-700. As I approached aircraft; had to slow down to make sharp turn and avoid tow bars in the way. Got past those and then tried to stop [tractor] and the brakes failed to stop and it coasted toward plane and scratched bottom part of nose cone.
Ramp employee reported the tractor brakes failed while approaching the aircraft resulted in minor damage to the aircraft.