Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Vehicle
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Returned To Gate
Human Factors; Weather
Aircraft was pushed into catering truck on push back from gate. Failure of wing walker to stop tug driver before wing tip struck the back of the catering truck. Catering truck being over the clear line at the gate. Low visibility due to heavy rain; high winds; and darkness. I have no idea why the personnel working could not do their jobs. It is a simple task to signal the tug driver if the wing is going to contact something.
The weather was horrible. Heavy rain and wind. We had to wait a while to get a crew out for pushback. It was late; I'm sure they were fatigued and beat up from inclement weather they had been dealing with all day.
A319 flight crew reported contacting a catering truck during pushback from the gate.