Miscom with ground crew language barrier. Taxied over towbar, damaged aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	310256
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : spn
State Reference	FO
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	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	310256
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During pushback of flight from saipan to guam, we were told to set our brakes by the pushback crew after we had been pushed into a taxi position. We then proceeded to start all engines. When that was done, we expected to be towed further as the gate agent indicated they push us to a spot for our start to minimize the effects of the wind during start then to another location. Something unintelligible was said by the ground handler and the captain asked 'do you want the brakes off?' expecting him to tow us further. He replied something to the effect of 'affirmative,' so we released the brakes, felt the airplane going forward -- but assumed it was being towed (it was not). Crunching sounds followed and the brakes were set. The tow bar (disconnected from the plane) had been run over and punctured 1 nosewheel tire. Fortunately no one was hurt! Obviously problem was with a lack of clear communication, also the pushback driver's dialect was hard to understand. In addition, our anticipation of further towing set us up to expect a brake release and further tow soon after engine start.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISCOM WITH GND CREW LANGUAGE BARRIER. TAXIED OVER TOWBAR, DAMAGED ACFT.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK OF FLT FROM SAIPAN TO GUAM, WE WERE TOLD TO SET OUR BRAKES BY THE PUSHBACK CREW AFTER WE HAD BEEN PUSHED INTO A TAXI POS. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO START ALL ENGS. WHEN THAT WAS DONE, WE EXPECTED TO BE TOWED FURTHER AS THE GATE AGENT INDICATED THEY PUSH US TO A SPOT FOR OUR START TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECTS OF THE WIND DURING START THEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION. SOMETHING UNINTELLIGIBLE WAS SAID BY THE GND HANDLER AND THE CAPT ASKED 'DO YOU WANT THE BRAKES OFF?' EXPECTING HIM TO TOW US FURTHER. HE REPLIED SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'AFFIRMATIVE,' SO WE RELEASED THE BRAKES, FELT THE AIRPLANE GOING FORWARD -- BUT ASSUMED IT WAS BEING TOWED (IT WAS NOT). CRUNCHING SOUNDS FOLLOWED AND THE BRAKES WERE SET. THE TOW BAR (DISCONNECTED FROM THE PLANE) HAD BEEN RUN OVER AND PUNCTURED 1 NOSEWHEEL TIRE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT! OBVIOUSLY PROB WAS WITH A LACK OF CLR COM, ALSO THE PUSHBACK DRIVER'S DIALECT WAS HARD TO UNDERSTAND. IN ADDITION, OUR ANTICIPATION OF FURTHER TOWING SET US UP TO EXPECT A BRAKE RELEASE AND FURTHER TOW SOON AFTER ENG START.

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.