Narrative:

After aircraft was stopped, ground crew informed captain of the need to push aircraft back about 6 inches. #1 engine was still running and red rotating beacon was on. Big problem/safety issue: receipt/push crew did not coordinate with other ground service personnel before or during aircraft relocation. Gate agent never knew what was happening and tried to pull the jetway up to the aircraft twice. The baggage crew started opening both cargo doors. After connecting towbar and tug, push crew reported, 'ready to push.' luckily, we could see a reflection of the aircraft and its immediate surroundings in the terminal windows and knew that the aircraft was not clear of equipment and personnel. Captain had to instruct push crew to ensure aircraft was clear. After aircraft was clear, pushback began. During push, we saw in the terminal window reflection, a catering or cleaning truck pulling in behind the right wing in order to access door. Luckily, push was complete before the trailing edge of the right wing hit the truck. In 2 mins, there were at least 3 times we thought something was going to get bent or someone was going to get hurt. The push crew failed to take command of the area surrounding the aircraft and jeopardized the safety of the operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW ALLOWS THE GND CREW TO PUSH THE ACFT PRIOR TO ENSURING THAT THE AREA BEHIND THE ACFT IS CLR AT LAX.

Narrative: AFTER ACFT WAS STOPPED, GND CREW INFORMED CAPT OF THE NEED TO PUSH ACFT BACK ABOUT 6 INCHES. #1 ENG WAS STILL RUNNING AND RED ROTATING BEACON WAS ON. BIG PROB/SAFETY ISSUE: RECEIPT/PUSH CREW DID NOT COORDINATE WITH OTHER GND SVC PERSONNEL BEFORE OR DURING ACFT RELOCATION. GATE AGENT NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND TRIED TO PULL THE JETWAY UP TO THE ACFT TWICE. THE BAGGAGE CREW STARTED OPENING BOTH CARGO DOORS. AFTER CONNECTING TOWBAR AND TUG, PUSH CREW RPTED, 'READY TO PUSH.' LUCKILY, WE COULD SEE A REFLECTION OF THE ACFT AND ITS IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS IN THE TERMINAL WINDOWS AND KNEW THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT CLR OF EQUIP AND PERSONNEL. CAPT HAD TO INSTRUCT PUSH CREW TO ENSURE ACFT WAS CLR. AFTER ACFT WAS CLR, PUSHBACK BEGAN. DURING PUSH, WE SAW IN THE TERMINAL WINDOW REFLECTION, A CATERING OR CLEANING TRUCK PULLING IN BEHIND THE R WING IN ORDER TO ACCESS DOOR. LUCKILY, PUSH WAS COMPLETE BEFORE THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE R WING HIT THE TRUCK. IN 2 MINS, THERE WERE AT LEAST 3 TIMES WE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO GET BENT OR SOMEONE WAS GOING TO GET HURT. THE PUSH CREW FAILED TO TAKE COMMAND OF THE AREA SURROUNDING THE ACFT AND JEOPARDIZED THE SAFETY OF THE OP.

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.