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Airbus crew inadvertently sets parking brake during pushback causing tow bar to break and damage the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 462942 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200002 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : msp.airport |
| State Reference | MN |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : msp.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : pushback |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 3500 |
| ASRS Report | 462642 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 462538 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
The parking brake handle is located approximately 18 inches behind the engine start switch. Both switches turn in the same direction, and the brake pedals do not have to be pressed to set the parking brake. During pushback in msp, the tug driver gave clearance to the captain to start engines. He reached down to the center pedestal to turn the engine master switch to 'on,' and he inadvertently selected the parking brake to 'on.' the aircraft stopped immediately, and the tow bar broke and jammed under the nose strut between the tires. The tow bar was removed, another one hooked up, and the aircraft was towed back to the gate. No passenger or flight attendants were injured. Supplemental information from acn 462538: I suspect that I turned the wrong item because of possible rushing and not verifying the correct knob before moving it. I must slow down and verify in the future before a switch/knob/lever is moved. The nose tires and rims needed to be replaced. Also, a full inspection of landing gear was to be done.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AIRBUS CREW INADVERTENTLY SETS PARKING BRAKE DURING PUSHBACK CAUSING TOW BAR TO BREAK AND DAMAGE THE ACFT.
Narrative: THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE IS LOCATED APPROX 18 INCHES BEHIND THE ENG START SWITCH. BOTH SWITCHES TURN IN THE SAME DIRECTION, AND THE BRAKE PEDALS DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESSED TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE. DURING PUSHBACK IN MSP, THE TUG DRIVER GAVE CLRNC TO THE CAPT TO START ENGS. HE REACHED DOWN TO THE CTR PEDESTAL TO TURN THE ENG MASTER SWITCH TO 'ON,' AND HE INADVERTENTLY SELECTED THE PARKING BRAKE TO 'ON.' THE ACFT STOPPED IMMEDIATELY, AND THE TOW BAR BROKE AND JAMMED UNDER THE NOSE STRUT BTWN THE TIRES. THE TOW BAR WAS REMOVED, ANOTHER ONE HOOKED UP, AND THE ACFT WAS TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. NO PAX OR FLT ATTENDANTS WERE INJURED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 462538: I SUSPECT THAT I TURNED THE WRONG ITEM BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE RUSHING AND NOT VERIFYING THE CORRECT KNOB BEFORE MOVING IT. I MUST SLOW DOWN AND VERIFY IN THE FUTURE BEFORE A SWITCH/KNOB/LEVER IS MOVED. THE NOSE TIRES AND RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, A FULL INSPECTION OF LNDG GEAR WAS TO BE DONE.
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.