Narrative:

I was in command of airline's flight mco-phl. At pushback time, I was informed by maintenance that a bushing was missing and that the tow bar would not attach west/O it. A search of the airport did not locate a spare part. Tech center (our maintenance center) advised me per maintenance directive that I could power back 1 time only due to this situation. Our fcom (pilot's manual) specifically prohibits reverse taxi. I called chief pilot and training department to see if they would allow a power back. I had been trained as PIC of large transport aircraft on my last job. The ground service people were also trained and current on medium large transport aircraft at this station. Our aircraft was an medium large transport, old series. I let myself get pressured into thinking that a power back was better than a delay and the fact that 3 flts would be cancelled later in the day on this aircraft. Our company is in serious financial trouble and it looked like I could contribute west/O jeopardizing anyone's safety. I erred in that my company prohibits power backs because we are not FAA approved or trained for them. It was wrong, as 20/20 hindsight always show. My lesson has been learned. I hope I can pass this bit of knowledge on to others.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF MG POWERED BACK FROM GATE DUE TO LACK OF TOW BAR. POWER BACK NOT APPROVED IN COMPANY MANUAL BY FAA.

Narrative: I WAS IN COMMAND OF AIRLINE'S FLT MCO-PHL. AT PUSHBACK TIME, I WAS INFORMED BY MAINT THAT A BUSHING WAS MISSING AND THAT THE TOW BAR WOULD NOT ATTACH W/O IT. A SEARCH OF THE ARPT DID NOT LOCATE A SPARE PART. TECH CENTER (OUR MAINT CENTER) ADVISED ME PER MAINT DIRECTIVE THAT I COULD PWR BACK 1 TIME ONLY DUE TO THIS SITUATION. OUR FCOM (PLT'S MANUAL) SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS REVERSE TAXI. I CALLED CHIEF PLT AND TRNING DEPT TO SEE IF THEY WOULD ALLOW A PWR BACK. I HAD BEEN TRAINED AS PIC OF LGT ACFT ON MY LAST JOB. THE GND SVC PEOPLE WERE ALSO TRAINED AND CURRENT ON MLG ACFT AT THIS STATION. OUR ACFT WAS AN MLG, OLD SERIES. I LET MYSELF GET PRESSURED INTO THINKING THAT A PWR BACK WAS BETTER THAN A DELAY AND THE FACT THAT 3 FLTS WOULD BE CANCELLED LATER IN THE DAY ON THIS ACFT. OUR COMPANY IS IN SERIOUS FINANCIAL TROUBLE AND IT LOOKED LIKE I COULD CONTRIBUTE W/O JEOPARDIZING ANYONE'S SAFETY. I ERRED IN THAT MY COMPANY PROHIBITS PWR BACKS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT FAA APPROVED OR TRAINED FOR THEM. IT WAS WRONG, AS 20/20 HINDSIGHT ALWAYS SHOW. MY LESSON HAS BEEN LEARNED. I HOPE I CAN PASS THIS BIT OF KNOWLEDGE ON TO OTHERS.

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