Narrative:

Preexisting conditions: APU generator inoperative. Asked ground personnel on headset if we could start an engine at the gate on ground power, or pushback and do a battery start. Ground requested we start #2 engine at the gate, then push. Before start, and before push/taxi checklists completed. During start with both hydraulic a pump switches off, the a hydraulic system pressurized. Informed ground personnel that a hydraulic system had pressurized. Asked if they were able to bypass pressure to steering, or shut down engine for the push. Was told they could bypass steering, ok to push. Pushed straight back from gate, no turns. Bump was felt at start of push, which is common as tug takes up slack. At end of pushback, set brakes, they disconnected tow bar and headset as per standard operating procedure. Departed unaware of anything other than completely normal operations, and flight continued uneventfully. At arrival at destination, maintenance found the tow pin on front of nose strut broken. After conferring with maintenance, I found there is no way to bypass pressure or disconnect the steering on this model. Our company has 3 different early models, and 2 different late models of this aircraft. Keeping track of different handling procedures required for all the aircraft and variants in our fleet is not easy for our ground personnel, many of which are not pilots or mechanics. The bottom line is I must know my aircraft's system better than anyone else, and not be led into a dangerous situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT DAMAGED DURING RAMP OP PUSHBACK PROC.

Narrative: PREEXISTING CONDITIONS: APU GENERATOR INOP. ASKED GND PERSONNEL ON HEADSET IF WE COULD START AN ENG AT THE GATE ON GND PWR, OR PUSHBACK AND DO A BATTERY START. GND REQUESTED WE START #2 ENG AT THE GATE, THEN PUSH. BEFORE START, AND BEFORE PUSH/TAXI CHKLISTS COMPLETED. DURING START WITH BOTH HYD A PUMP SWITCHES OFF, THE A HYD SYS PRESSURIZED. INFORMED GND PERSONNEL THAT A HYD SYS HAD PRESSURIZED. ASKED IF THEY WERE ABLE TO BYPASS PRESSURE TO STEERING, OR SHUT DOWN ENG FOR THE PUSH. WAS TOLD THEY COULD BYPASS STEERING, OK TO PUSH. PUSHED STRAIGHT BACK FROM GATE, NO TURNS. BUMP WAS FELT AT START OF PUSH, WHICH IS COMMON AS TUG TAKES UP SLACK. AT END OF PUSHBACK, SET BRAKES, THEY DISCONNECTED TOW BAR AND HEADSET AS PER STANDARD OPERATING PROC. DEPARTED UNAWARE OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN COMPLETELY NORMAL OPS, AND FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. AT ARR AT DEST, MAINT FOUND THE TOW PIN ON FRONT OF NOSE STRUT BROKEN. AFTER CONFERRING WITH MAINT, I FOUND THERE IS NO WAY TO BYPASS PRESSURE OR DISCONNECT THE STEERING ON THIS MODEL. OUR COMPANY HAS 3 DIFFERENT EARLY MODELS, AND 2 DIFFERENT LATE MODELS OF THIS ACFT. KEEPING TRACK OF DIFFERENT HANDLING PROCS REQUIRED FOR ALL THE ACFT AND VARIANTS IN OUR FLEET IS NOT EASY FOR OUR GND PERSONNEL, MANY OF WHICH ARE NOT PLTS OR MECHS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS I MUST KNOW MY ACFT'S SYS BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE, AND NOT BE LED INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

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.