Super 80 collides with tug during pushback.

Attributes
ACN	318720
Time
Date	199510
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	318720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The pushback was non-standard for 2 reasons. First the ground man's headset became intermittent and the captain had difficulty with the ground man's transmission and reception. Secondly, we were asked by ground control to be towed to an active taxiway for the disconnect. During most of the pushback cockpit to ground communications remained difficult due to the poor quality of the driver's headset. After the aircraft was stopped 2 normal engine starts were made. After the second engine start I began using the ACARS to pull up a new tps due to a large weight variation in the closeout. I felt the impact between the tug and the aircraft. Prior to the collision, I did not sense any aircraft movement. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the aircraft was damaged enough to cancel the flight and move passenger to another flight. He never did get a final report on what happened. The FAA checked on the damage and did some type of investigation but reporter has been informed that the matter is closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPER 80 COLLIDES WITH TUG DURING PUSHBACK.

Narrative: THE PUSHBACK WAS NON-STANDARD FOR 2 REASONS. FIRST THE GND MAN'S HEADSET BECAME INTERMITTENT AND THE CAPT HAD DIFFICULTY WITH THE GND MAN'S XMISSION AND RECEPTION. SECONDLY, WE WERE ASKED BY GND CTL TO BE TOWED TO AN ACTIVE TXWY FOR THE DISCONNECT. DURING MOST OF THE PUSHBACK COCKPIT TO GND COMS REMAINED DIFFICULT DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF THE DRIVER'S HEADSET. AFTER THE ACFT WAS STOPPED 2 NORMAL ENG STARTS WERE MADE. AFTER THE SECOND ENG START I BEGAN USING THE ACARS TO PULL UP A NEW TPS DUE TO A LARGE WEIGHT VARIATION IN THE CLOSEOUT. I FELT THE IMPACT BTWN THE TUG AND THE ACFT. PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, I DID NOT SENSE ANY ACFT MOVEMENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED ENOUGH TO CANCEL THE FLT AND MOVE PAX TO ANOTHER FLT. HE NEVER DID GET A FINAL RPT ON WHAT HAPPENED. THE FAA CHKED ON THE DAMAGE AND DID SOME TYPE OF INVESTIGATION BUT RPTR HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THE MATTER IS CLOSED.

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.