Narrative:

On oct/xa/99 wxxx and I were assigned to dispatch aircraft xyz from gate xx (ZZZ, us) at XA00. I operated the pushback tractor. Wxxx performed the duties of wing walker and removing the tow bar. After pushing the aircraft off the gate and receiving the clear to disconnect from the captain, I signaled wxxx to disconnect the tow bar. Wxxx had some trouble getting the tow bar off the aircraft. I was about to exit the tug and give assistance when wxxx came and asked for advice. I instructed him to release the tow bars latch then pump up the tow bar jack to raise the tow bar from the aircraft. Wxxx went and pumped up the tow bar first then released the handle. This caused the tow bar to jump off the aircraft tow fitting. I was not aware of any contact between the tow bar and the aircraft at this point. At this point I told the pilot we had disconnected and motioned for wxxx to disconnect the interphone. Wxxx did this and motioned me away from the aircraft. After returning to the gate area, wxxx mentioned that the tow bar might have contacted the nlg taxi light. The aircraft was taxiing at this point. I saw that the nlg taxi light was illuminated and assumed no damage had occurred. When the aircraft arrived at dca, the nlg taxi light was burnt out and some damage had occurred to the retaining ring. The light was replaced and the ring repaired and the aircraft dispatched. Wxxx is a new hire and had received minimal training on the tow bar. He said after the incident that he thought the bar would drop off the tow lug. This new type tow bar (B737/A320) has a history of being difficult to remove from the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH NOSE GEAR TAXI LIGHT DAMAGE INCURRED IN PUSHBACK.

Narrative: ON OCT/XA/99 WXXX AND I WERE ASSIGNED TO DISPATCH ACFT XYZ FROM GATE XX (ZZZ, US) AT XA00. I OPERATED THE PUSHBACK TRACTOR. WXXX PERFORMED THE DUTIES OF WING WALKER AND REMOVING THE TOW BAR. AFTER PUSHING THE ACFT OFF THE GATE AND RECEIVING THE CLR TO DISCONNECT FROM THE CAPT, I SIGNALED WXXX TO DISCONNECT THE TOW BAR. WXXX HAD SOME TROUBLE GETTING THE TOW BAR OFF THE ACFT. I WAS ABOUT TO EXIT THE TUG AND GIVE ASSISTANCE WHEN WXXX CAME AND ASKED FOR ADVICE. I INSTRUCTED HIM TO RELEASE THE TOW BARS LATCH THEN PUMP UP THE TOW BAR JACK TO RAISE THE TOW BAR FROM THE ACFT. WXXX WENT AND PUMPED UP THE TOW BAR FIRST THEN RELEASED THE HANDLE. THIS CAUSED THE TOW BAR TO JUMP OFF THE ACFT TOW FITTING. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY CONTACT BTWN THE TOW BAR AND THE ACFT AT THIS POINT. AT THIS POINT I TOLD THE PLT WE HAD DISCONNECTED AND MOTIONED FOR WXXX TO DISCONNECT THE INTERPHONE. WXXX DID THIS AND MOTIONED ME AWAY FROM THE ACFT. AFTER RETURNING TO THE GATE AREA, WXXX MENTIONED THAT THE TOW BAR MIGHT HAVE CONTACTED THE NLG TAXI LIGHT. THE ACFT WAS TAXIING AT THIS POINT. I SAW THAT THE NLG TAXI LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND ASSUMED NO DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED. WHEN THE ACFT ARRIVED AT DCA, THE NLG TAXI LIGHT WAS BURNT OUT AND SOME DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED TO THE RETAINING RING. THE LIGHT WAS REPLACED AND THE RING REPAIRED AND THE ACFT DISPATCHED. WXXX IS A NEW HIRE AND HAD RECEIVED MINIMAL TRAINING ON THE TOW BAR. HE SAID AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT HE THOUGHT THE BAR WOULD DROP OFF THE TOW LUG. THIS NEW TYPE TOW BAR (B737/A320) HAS A HISTORY OF BEING DIFFICULT TO REMOVE FROM THE ACFT.

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.