Widebody Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Total 1036
Communication Breakdown
Ground Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Airport
During taxi-in to the gate; at DFW all three cockpit crew observed the clear area to be clear of all surrounding ground equipment or other obstacles. We made cockpit callouts to that effect; 'clear left' and 'clear right.' We slowly continued in to park as normal under DGS (Docking Guidance System) guidance. At approximately 14 ft. to go (as displayed on the DGS) we felt the aircraft stop. After a short period; around a minute; ground crew signaled from the right side of the AC (Aircraft) to shut the right engine down and made a gesture which looked to me like we had hit something. The FO (First Officer) shut the right engine down. Ground crew then communicated via interphone we had come in contact with ground equipment. The right engine nacelle was damaged due to this contact.I believe this event occurred because there are multiple 'clear areas' depicted by the white and red lines creating ambiguity as to proper clear areas. The ground equipment we contacted was in fact parked behind a white and red line but the aircraft final parking spot has the wing and engines encroaching over 'this very' white and red line. From the cockpit we observed the parking area to be clear as we approached but the actual stopping point places the aircraft over these lines. I believe this is what caused this incident.I think revisiting the physical placement of the clear area white and red lines would eliminate the possibility of crew members and ground crew thinking the area is clear but in fact is not.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
Air carrier flight crew reported that due to ambiguous markings in the clear/safe space at the gate; the aircraft came in contact with ground equipment.