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A B737-900 during pushback with #1 engine running crew believed pushback had stopped and set brakes shearing bolts on towbar. Lost communication with pushback crew.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 597193 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200310 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-900 |
| 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 |
| ASRS Report | 597193 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
As we completed the pushback and had the #1 engine started, I asked for clearance to start the #2 engine. The transmission from the pushback crew was garbled because of a stuck microphone button on his headset. The engine noise from engine #1 made it extremely difficult to hear. I thought that we had completed the push, because the airplane appeared to be stopped, and touched the brakes. At that time the aircraft stopped and the shear bolt on the towbar broke because the tug had not totally stopped. Maintenance inspected the aircraft, we taxied back to gate and completed the required paperwork and were cleared to proceed to destination. This isn't the first time that the pushback crew has left the microphone hot during pushback. It happens at many of our stations. With a hot microphone at the other end, there is a potential for miscom and the potential to do more than just break a towbar. We were lucky that the tug and airplane were almost stopped.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-900 DURING PUSHBACK WITH #1 ENG RUNNING CREW BELIEVED PUSHBACK HAD STOPPED AND SET BRAKES SHEARING BOLTS ON TOWBAR. LOST COM WITH PUSHBACK CREW.
Narrative: AS WE COMPLETED THE PUSHBACK AND HAD THE #1 ENG STARTED, I ASKED FOR CLRNC TO START THE #2 ENG. THE XMISSION FROM THE PUSHBACK CREW WAS GARBLED BECAUSE OF A STUCK MIKE BUTTON ON HIS HEADSET. THE ENG NOISE FROM ENG #1 MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HEAR. I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD COMPLETED THE PUSH, BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE STOPPED, AND TOUCHED THE BRAKES. AT THAT TIME THE ACFT STOPPED AND THE SHEAR BOLT ON THE TOWBAR BROKE BECAUSE THE TUG HAD NOT TOTALLY STOPPED. MAINT INSPECTED THE ACFT, WE TAXIED BACK TO GATE AND COMPLETED THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND WERE CLRED TO PROCEED TO DEST. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT THE PUSHBACK CREW HAS LEFT THE MIKE HOT DURING PUSHBACK. IT HAPPENS AT MANY OF OUR STATIONS. WITH A HOT MIKE AT THE OTHER END, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR MISCOM AND THE POTENTIAL TO DO MORE THAN JUST BREAK A TOWBAR. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THE TUG AND AIRPLANE WERE ALMOST STOPPED.
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.