Pilot had control problems pwring back from the gate and nearly ran over the marshal.

Attributes
ACN	288104
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	288104
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Power back required a lot of reverse thrust. I don't know if this was because of ramp slope or wind conditions but the wind was from behind us during power back. On completion of power back I initiated a right turn to taxi out. I started this turn right away because we had pwred back barely enough to have room for the turn to clear the aircraft and equipment on the gate to our right. At the completion of the power back, the airplane started rolling forward much more quickly than normal and this caused us to start turning to the right much more quickly than normal. The wing walker on the right had to hustle to get out of the way in time. I owe him and the crew chief an apology for this and I would like to see that they get a copy of this report if possible. I would also like to suggest that someone review the feasibility of pwring back from this gate. Again -- I don't know if it was the ramp slope or the wind conditions that day which caused our problems, but if it was the ramp slope then it would seem like it might not be a wise idea to continue pwring back from this gate in the future. I have resolved that the next time I depart from this gate I will request a pushback unless conditions are ideal and can keep the aircraft moving backwards without using very much reverse thrust.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT HAD CTL PROBS PWRING BACK FROM THE GATE AND NEARLY RAN OVER THE MARSHAL.

Narrative: PWR BACK REQUIRED A LOT OF REVERSE THRUST. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS BECAUSE OF RAMP SLOPE OR WIND CONDITIONS BUT THE WIND WAS FROM BEHIND US DURING PWR BACK. ON COMPLETION OF PWR BACK I INITIATED A R TURN TO TAXI OUT. I STARTED THIS TURN RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE WE HAD PWRED BACK BARELY ENOUGH TO HAVE ROOM FOR THE TURN TO CLR THE ACFT AND EQUIP ON THE GATE TO OUR R. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE PWR BACK, THE AIRPLANE STARTED ROLLING FORWARD MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN NORMAL AND THIS CAUSED US TO START TURNING TO THE R MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN NORMAL. THE WING WALKER ON THE R HAD TO HUSTLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY IN TIME. I OWE HIM AND THE CREW CHIEF AN APOLOGY FOR THIS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THEY GET A COPY OF THIS RPT IF POSSIBLE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT SOMEONE REVIEW THE FEASIBILITY OF PWRING BACK FROM THIS GATE. AGAIN -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE RAMP SLOPE OR THE WIND CONDITIONS THAT DAY WHICH CAUSED OUR PROBS, BUT IF IT WAS THE RAMP SLOPE THEN IT WOULD SEEM LIKE IT MIGHT NOT BE A WISE IDEA TO CONTINUE PWRING BACK FROM THIS GATE IN THE FUTURE. I HAVE RESOLVED THAT THE NEXT TIME I DEPART FROM THIS GATE I WILL REQUEST A PUSHBACK UNLESS CONDITIONS ARE IDEAL AND CAN KEEP THE ACFT MOVING BACKWARDS WITHOUT USING VERY MUCH REVERSE THRUST.

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.