Narrative:

I was operating as captain on air carrier flight xyz, scheduled to operate mem-phx the morning of apr/xa/98. Aircraft was a DC10-10. APU was inoperative for this flight. Engine #3 was started without incident in blocks. Air start from auxiliary source checklist was used and crew was preparing to use the xbleed start checklist for engines #1 and #2. Pushback was commenced on time. A few seconds into the push, the aircraft contacted the loading dock on the captain's side. I did not use the aircraft brakes when I first realized the contact with the loading dock, for fear of damage to nose of aircraft. I did command the tug driver to stop. No crew or jump seaters were injured. An aircraft maintenance logbook entry was made. I also requested the voice recorder circuit breaker be pulled. Supplemental information from acn 399005: the only unusual part of the push was that the aircraft used an external air cart for starting the #3 engine. Apparently the ground crew did not remove the cart from the area after the engine was started at the gate because the tug driver maneuvered to gain clearance on the cart causing the nose of the aircraft to hit the dock.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-10, WHILE BEING PUSHED BACK, STRUCK A LOADING DOCK INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD L FUSELAGE JUST UNDER THE CAPT'S SIDE WINDOW. VEHICLE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER AROUND AN EXTERNAL AIR CART USED FOR STARTING ENG #3 DUE TO APU INOP, INSTEAD OF REMOVING THE CART FROM THE APRON.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING AS CAPT ON ACR FLT XYZ, SCHEDULED TO OPERATE MEM-PHX THE MORNING OF APR/XA/98. ACFT WAS A DC10-10. APU WAS INOP FOR THIS FLT. ENG #3 WAS STARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT IN BLOCKS. AIR START FROM AUX SOURCE CHKLIST WAS USED AND CREW WAS PREPARING TO USE THE XBLEED START CHKLIST FOR ENGS #1 AND #2. PUSHBACK WAS COMMENCED ON TIME. A FEW SECONDS INTO THE PUSH, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE LOADING DOCK ON THE CAPT'S SIDE. I DID NOT USE THE ACFT BRAKES WHEN I FIRST REALIZED THE CONTACT WITH THE LOADING DOCK, FOR FEAR OF DAMAGE TO NOSE OF ACFT. I DID COMMAND THE TUG DRIVER TO STOP. NO CREW OR JUMP SEATERS WERE INJURED. AN ACFT MAINT LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE. I ALSO REQUESTED THE VOICE RECORDER CIRCUIT BREAKER BE PULLED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 399005: THE ONLY UNUSUAL PART OF THE PUSH WAS THAT THE ACFT USED AN EXTERNAL AIR CART FOR STARTING THE #3 ENG. APPARENTLY THE GND CREW DID NOT REMOVE THE CART FROM THE AREA AFTER THE ENG WAS STARTED AT THE GATE BECAUSE THE TUG DRIVER MANEUVERED TO GAIN CLRNC ON THE CART CAUSING THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TO HIT THE DOCK.

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.