B737 crew was pushed into a cargo loader on pushback at iad.

Attributes
ACN	464051
Time
Date	200002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	military facility : mugm.milfac
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	464051
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	464046
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

On pushback, we heard a noise looking back, a loader for a B747 was in view. The tug driver said he thought we might have contacted it. We had, and we returned to the gate. New wing walker, and the tug driver's momentary loss of sight of the walker, combined with relatively close proximity of ground equipment to the aircraft to cause this event. However, the equipment was clear enough to be easily avoided with some care. Supplemental information from acn 464046: pushback clearance was given with an 'east taxi' position given for pushback termination. Flight was air carrier #abc, service from iad to fll. During pushback procedure aircraft shuddered and came to a stop. Tug driver stated the aircraft may have made inadvertent contact and he wanted to return to the gate and pulled back to the jetway. Upon visual inspection found left aileron had sustained damage due to contact with air carrier cargo bin loader. During my exterior preflight loader location was noted in its usual position. Wing walker was present on left wing. Captain and I were along for the ride and did not see or know of collision course until after contact. No injuries except to pride of company. Substantial flight control damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW WAS PUSHED INTO A CARGO LOADER ON PUSHBACK AT IAD.

Narrative: ON PUSHBACK, WE HEARD A NOISE LOOKING BACK, A LOADER FOR A B747 WAS IN VIEW. THE TUG DRIVER SAID HE THOUGHT WE MIGHT HAVE CONTACTED IT. WE HAD, AND WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. NEW WING WALKER, AND THE TUG DRIVER'S MOMENTARY LOSS OF SIGHT OF THE WALKER, COMBINED WITH RELATIVELY CLOSE PROX OF GND EQUIP TO THE ACFT TO CAUSE THIS EVENT. HOWEVER, THE EQUIP WAS CLR ENOUGH TO BE EASILY AVOIDED WITH SOME CARE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 464046: PUSHBACK CLRNC WAS GIVEN WITH AN 'E TAXI' POS GIVEN FOR PUSHBACK TERMINATION. FLT WAS ACR #ABC, SVC FROM IAD TO FLL. DURING PUSHBACK PROC ACFT SHUDDERED AND CAME TO A STOP. TUG DRIVER STATED THE ACFT MAY HAVE MADE INADVERTENT CONTACT AND HE WANTED TO RETURN TO THE GATE AND PULLED BACK TO THE JETWAY. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND L AILERON HAD SUSTAINED DAMAGE DUE TO CONTACT WITH ACR CARGO BIN LOADER. DURING MY EXTERIOR PREFLT LOADER LOCATION WAS NOTED IN ITS USUAL POS. WING WALKER WAS PRESENT ON L WING. CAPT AND I WERE ALONG FOR THE RIDE AND DID NOT SEE OR KNOW OF COLLISION COURSE UNTIL AFTER CONTACT. NO INJURIES EXCEPT TO PRIDE OF COMPANY. SUBSTANTIAL FLT CTL DAMAGE.

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.