Narrative:

After the cargo doors were closed, the tug driver called on the intercom 'ready for pushback.' my first officer received clearance from air carrier ramp tower to push back from gate. I called 'brakes off, clear to push.' it was at that time both the tug driver and I realized that the tug driver could transmit, but not receive. He transmitted that he had earlier problems and he would use hand signals. The wing walker on my side gave me the chocks out and brakes off signals. I visually and verbally gave the same signals. The pushback was completed without any problems. We did return back to the gate after a deflated nose tire was discovered by one of the ground personnel. All proper calls and checklists were made and the aircraft returned to the gate without any problems. An FAA maintenance inspector on the jump seat later stated that a face-to-face brief was required in order to use hand signals. I did not realize that with my air carrier's ground people, in air carrier uniforms, and using air carrier equipment at an air carrier hub, required a face-to-face brief. This will be done in the future. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the B-737-200 for a major united states air carrier. He admits that the aci is correct, his air carrier requires that the flight crew rebrief the ground crew on the proper hand signals to be used in case the intercom system is inoperative. There has been no further discussion with the FAA on this matter. The reporter believes that this briefing requirement is necessitated by using contract employees, not all of whom are fully qualified with the parent air carrier's procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACI FOUND THAT AN ACR CREW DID NOT FOLLOW A PROC REGARDING COMS WITH THE GND MAN.

Narrative: AFTER THE CARGO DOORS WERE CLOSED, THE TUG DRIVER CALLED ON THE INTERCOM 'READY FOR PUSHBACK.' MY FO RECEIVED CLRNC FROM ACR RAMP TWR TO PUSH BACK FROM GATE. I CALLED 'BRAKES OFF, CLR TO PUSH.' IT WAS AT THAT TIME BOTH THE TUG DRIVER AND I REALIZED THAT THE TUG DRIVER COULD XMIT, BUT NOT RECEIVE. HE XMITTED THAT HE HAD EARLIER PROBS AND HE WOULD USE HAND SIGNALS. THE WING WALKER ON MY SIDE GAVE ME THE CHOCKS OUT AND BRAKES OFF SIGNALS. I VISUALLY AND VERBALLY GAVE THE SAME SIGNALS. THE PUSHBACK WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY PROBS. WE DID RETURN BACK TO THE GATE AFTER A DEFLATED NOSE TIRE WAS DISCOVERED BY ONE OF THE GND PERSONNEL. ALL PROPER CALLS AND CHKLISTS WERE MADE AND THE ACFT RETURNED TO THE GATE WITHOUT ANY PROBS. AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR ON THE JUMP SEAT LATER STATED THAT A FACE-TO-FACE BRIEF WAS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO USE HAND SIGNALS. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT WITH MY ACR'S GND PEOPLE, IN ACR UNIFORMS, AND USING ACR EQUIP AT AN ACR HUB, REQUIRED A FACE-TO-FACE BRIEF. THIS WILL BE DONE IN THE FUTURE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B-737-200 FOR A MAJOR UNITED STATES ACR. HE ADMITS THAT THE ACI IS CORRECT, HIS ACR REQUIRES THAT THE FLC REBRIEF THE GND CREW ON THE PROPER HAND SIGNALS TO BE USED IN CASE THE INTERCOM SYS IS INOP. THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE FAA ON THIS MATTER. THE RPTR BELIEVES THAT THIS BRIEFING REQUIREMENT IS NECESSITATED BY USING CONTRACT EMPLOYEES, NOT ALL OF WHOM ARE FULLY QUALIFIED WITH THE PARENT ACR'S PROCS.

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.