Air carrier medium large transport sudden stop during power back causes passenger to complain of nec...

Attributes
ACN	191898
Time
Date	199110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	191898
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Captain initiated power back at austin gate. Aircraft was in a hole (rut in ramp), as power was applied, aircraft did not move, as more power was applied aircraft suddenly moved forward rapidly toward terminal. The captain started to apply brakes, but I was on the brakes too, as I could not tell if the captain had recognized the problem. With both of us on the brakes, the aircraft stopped very rapidly. Reverse thrust was then applied and remainder of power back was normal. We were informed by flight attendants that a passenger, who had recent neck problems, was complaining of neck pains. He is not attempting to have my airline pay for medical treatment and may sue. He was the only complaint from any passenger. I have never touched the brakes during a power back, as they 'belong' to the captain. But I had a split second to evaluate the problem and determine if the captain had taken the correct action. I felt I needed to apply the brakes to stop the aircraft. It is a decision I stand by and would do again. This problem was caused by an uneven ramp surface. I feel I am a victim of poor airport upkeep, and limited ramp maneuver area. Many airport ramp areas are uneven and poorly maintained because they are 'just ramps' and not runways.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG SUDDEN STOP DURING PWR BACK CAUSES PAX TO COMPLAIN OF NECK INJURY.

Narrative: CAPT INITIATED PWR BACK AT AUSTIN GATE. ACFT WAS IN A HOLE (RUT IN RAMP), AS PWR WAS APPLIED, ACFT DID NOT MOVE, AS MORE PWR WAS APPLIED ACFT SUDDENLY MOVED FORWARD RAPIDLY TOWARD TERMINAL. THE CAPT STARTED TO APPLY BRAKES, BUT I WAS ON THE BRAKES TOO, AS I COULD NOT TELL IF THE CAPT HAD RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM. WITH BOTH OF US ON THE BRAKES, THE ACFT STOPPED VERY RAPIDLY. REVERSE THRUST WAS THEN APPLIED AND REMAINDER OF PWR BACK WAS NORMAL. WE WERE INFORMED BY FLT ATTENDANTS THAT A PAX, WHO HAD RECENT NECK PROBLEMS, WAS COMPLAINING OF NECK PAINS. HE IS NOT ATTEMPTING TO HAVE MY AIRLINE PAY FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND MAY SUE. HE WAS THE ONLY COMPLAINT FROM ANY PAX. I HAVE NEVER TOUCHED THE BRAKES DURING A PWR BACK, AS THEY 'BELONG' TO THE CAPT. BUT I HAD A SPLIT SECOND TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM AND DETERMINE IF THE CAPT HAD TAKEN THE CORRECT ACTION. I FELT I NEEDED TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO STOP THE ACFT. IT IS A DECISION I STAND BY AND WOULD DO AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY AN UNEVEN RAMP SURFACE. I FEEL I AM A VICTIM OF POOR ARPT UPKEEP, AND LIMITED RAMP MANEUVER AREA. MANY ARPT RAMP AREAS ARE UNEVEN AND POORLY MAINTAINED BECAUSE THEY ARE 'JUST RAMPS' AND NOT RWYS.

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.

Air carrier medium large transport sudden stop during power back causes passenger to complain of neck injury.