Narrative:

Due to programs underway at my airline to cut costs, a great deal of ground handling functions are handled by new 'contractor' personnel. In addition, long-time mechanics are being moved to night shifts and away from small stations. At btr the only large pushback tug has been inoperative for several weeks and aircraft towing is done using a small tug normally used for baggage carts. Today, while our aircraft was under tow, the driver of the tug lost control and the tug jackknifed to the right, breaking the tow bar and causing a rider (who was trying to instruct the tow operator) to fall off. He injured his leg/knee and was taken to the hospital. My captain was able to apply brakes on our aircraft, which sustained no damage. In my opinion, this injury was caused by poor training of contractor personnel and lack of proper tug equipment. We have provided details to our company safety director and chief pilot, and I don't believe the flight crew to be at fault. However, I won't allow a small tug to move a big airplane again while I'm a crew member. Supplemental information from acn 304780: due to the proximity of commuter aircraft parked behind our B-727 we were unable to power back from the gate. During the push, when we began rolling forward, the tug disappeared from my view on the right side of the aircraft. At that time both the first officer and I recommend to the captain that he stop the aircraft. The first officer immediately notified ground control and requested an ambulance. The agent was taken to the hospital. Supplemental information from acn 303952: an agent was riding on the tug, fell off and was injured. Perhaps if there were more operable backup equipment on hand, such as long wire head sets, large airplane tugs, and APU's, this mishap might not have happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW GND PERSONNEL WAS RECEIVING TRAINING IN TOWING. THE TRAINEE WAS OPERATING AN UNDERSIZED TUG AND PULLING A B- 727. THE TUG JACKKNIFED AND THE TOW BAR BROKE. THE AGENT WAS INJURED. FLC CALLED AMBULANCE. FLC CITES INEXPERIENCED PERSONNEL OPERATING INSUFFICIENT EQUIP.

Narrative: DUE TO PROGRAMS UNDERWAY AT MY AIRLINE TO CUT COSTS, A GREAT DEAL OF GND HANDLING FUNCTIONS ARE HANDLED BY NEW 'CONTRACTOR' PERSONNEL. IN ADDITION, LONG-TIME MECHS ARE BEING MOVED TO NIGHT SHIFTS AND AWAY FROM SMALL STATIONS. AT BTR THE ONLY LARGE PUSHBACK TUG HAS BEEN INOP FOR SEVERAL WKS AND ACFT TOWING IS DONE USING A SMALL TUG NORMALLY USED FOR BAGGAGE CARTS. TODAY, WHILE OUR ACFT WAS UNDER TOW, THE DRIVER OF THE TUG LOST CTL AND THE TUG JACKKNIFED TO THE R, BREAKING THE TOW BAR AND CAUSING A RIDER (WHO WAS TRYING TO INSTRUCT THE TOW OPERATOR) TO FALL OFF. HE INJURED HIS LEG/KNEE AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. MY CAPT WAS ABLE TO APPLY BRAKES ON OUR ACFT, WHICH SUSTAINED NO DAMAGE. IN MY OPINION, THIS INJURY WAS CAUSED BY POOR TRAINING OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL AND LACK OF PROPER TUG EQUIP. WE HAVE PROVIDED DETAILS TO OUR COMPANY SAFETY DIRECTOR AND CHIEF PLT, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THE FLC TO BE AT FAULT. HOWEVER, I WON'T ALLOW A SMALL TUG TO MOVE A BIG AIRPLANE AGAIN WHILE I'M A CREW MEMBER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 304780: DUE TO THE PROX OF COMMUTER ACFT PARKED BEHIND OUR B-727 WE WERE UNABLE TO PWR BACK FROM THE GATE. DURING THE PUSH, WHEN WE BEGAN ROLLING FORWARD, THE TUG DISAPPEARED FROM MY VIEW ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT. AT THAT TIME BOTH THE FO AND I RECOMMEND TO THE CAPT THAT HE STOP THE ACFT. THE FO IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED GND CTL AND REQUESTED AN AMBULANCE. THE AGENT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 303952: AN AGENT WAS RIDING ON THE TUG, FELL OFF AND WAS INJURED. PERHAPS IF THERE WERE MORE OPERABLE BACKUP EQUIP ON HAND, SUCH AS LONG WIRE HEAD SETS, LARGE AIRPLANE TUGS, AND APU'S, THIS MISHAP MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

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.