Narrative:

Aircraft departed gate 3B at ord. Proceeded to bravo south hold line to await taxi clearance. Taxi instructions were to proceed straight ahead to the outer taxiway, then turn left for a 32L (full length) takeoff. Due to proximity of approaching 747, a slight right turn was necessary and turn onto outer taxiway was accomplished using C11. Aircraft weighed approximately 500000 pounds and was bound for hnl. Captain commented on weight and need to watch power used very closely. At no time did thrust exceed 40% N1, which is flight handbook limit. Upon return from hnl, crew was advised that jet bust had caused an LD3 container (empty) to come loose from its carrier, pinning a ground employee against a tractor. Container then struck tractor driver (no injury reported by driver). Man pinned against tractor had x-rays (negative) and reported a stiff shoulder, and was using a sling. Container was in the vicinity of gate C4, and was evidently blown during the left turn onto the outer taxiway. Ground crew comments indicate that the area around gate C4, at the south end of the C concourse at ord, experiences much jet blast due to its proximity to the txwys. As flight manual limits were observed in the incident described here, perhaps the only preventive measure that could have been taken would have been a different taxi routing to the outer taxiway. a

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JET BLAST FROM WDB BLEW CONTAINER AGAINST TRACTOR INJURING GND PERSON.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED GATE 3B AT ORD. PROCEEDED TO BRAVO S HOLD LINE TO AWAIT TAXI CLRNC. TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO PROCEED STRAIGHT AHEAD TO THE OUTER TXWY, THEN TURN LEFT FOR A 32L (FULL LENGTH) TKOF. DUE TO PROX OF APCHING 747, A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN WAS NECESSARY AND TURN ONTO OUTER TXWY WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING C11. ACFT WEIGHED APPROX 500000 LBS AND WAS BOUND FOR HNL. CAPT COMMENTED ON WT AND NEED TO WATCH PWR USED VERY CLOSELY. AT NO TIME DID THRUST EXCEED 40% N1, WHICH IS FLT HANDBOOK LIMIT. UPON RETURN FROM HNL, CREW WAS ADVISED THAT JET BUST HAD CAUSED AN LD3 CONTAINER (EMPTY) TO COME LOOSE FROM ITS CARRIER, PINNING A GND EMPLOYEE AGAINST A TRACTOR. CONTAINER THEN STRUCK TRACTOR DRIVER (NO INJURY RPTED BY DRIVER). MAN PINNED AGAINST TRACTOR HAD X-RAYS (NEGATIVE) AND RPTED A STIFF SHOULDER, AND WAS USING A SLING. CONTAINER WAS IN THE VICINITY OF GATE C4, AND WAS EVIDENTLY BLOWN DURING THE LEFT TURN ONTO THE OUTER TXWY. GND CREW COMMENTS INDICATE THAT THE AREA AROUND GATE C4, AT THE S END OF THE C CONCOURSE AT ORD, EXPERIENCES MUCH JET BLAST DUE TO ITS PROX TO THE TXWYS. AS FLT MANUAL LIMITS WERE OBSERVED IN THE INCIDENT DESCRIBED HERE, PERHAPS THE ONLY PREVENTIVE MEASURE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT TAXI ROUTING TO THE OUTER TXWY. A

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.