An A320 captain reported that the push back tug driver put the aircraft's left engine very near a tu...

Narrative:

Aircraft was pushed back while the left wing went over the top of two tugs with baggage carts attached to both. One tug and baggage cart came very close to the left engine. When I asked the tug driver on the headset if he knew of the danger he replied that he could not see the 'line' because it was wet. He did acknowledge seeing the wing pass over top of the equipment. He also replied with his name and employee number. Two wing walkers were utilized on this pushback as well. Standard procedure not followed as I understand them. Retrain and with emphasis on protecting personal injury as well as protecting equipment. It is evident by the tug driver's distinction of the 'painted line' that the rules were known to him; however; not followed. Personal injury (personnel in tugs) was narrowly averted. Very expensive aircraft damage (wing; engine and engine pylon) was; in my opinion; narrowly averted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An A320 Captain reported that the push back tug driver put the aircraft's left engine very near a tug and baggage cart; acknowledging their presence; but saying he could not see the line because it was wet.

Narrative: Aircraft was pushed back while the left wing went over the top of two tugs with baggage carts attached to both. One tug and baggage cart came very close to the left engine. When I asked the tug driver on the headset if he knew of the danger he replied that he could not see the 'LINE' because it was wet. He did acknowledge seeing the wing pass over top of the equipment. He also replied with his name and employee number. Two wing walkers were utilized on this pushback as well. Standard procedure not followed as I understand them. Retrain and with emphasis on protecting personal injury as well as protecting equipment. It is evident by the tug driver's distinction of the 'PAINTED LINE' that the rules were known to him; however; not followed. Personal injury (personnel in tugs) was narrowly averted. Very expensive aircraft damage (wing; engine and engine pylon) was; in my opinion; narrowly averted.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1069821
Time
Date	201302
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	PHL.Airport
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

An A320 captain reported that the push back tug driver put the aircraft's left engine very near a tug and baggage cart; acknowledging their presence; but saying he could not see the line because it was wet.