<< >> NASA ASRS Report 597761, October 2003

A B757-200 after pushback, thinking the towbar was disconnected, applied power to taxi. Ground crew alerted crew towbar still connected.

Attributes
ACN	597761
Time
Date	200310
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	597761
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	597735
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After engine start, thinking we had disconnected, first officer called and received taxi clearance. I, also failing to realize we were still connected, visually cleared left, forward, the first officer right, and added power. Instantly, heard a ground call, and immediately retarded power. We then disconnected without further incident. A possible combination of distraction and no ground crew in sight may have allowed both of us to jump from the disconnect phase to taxi. I am astonished that this happened, but it did. I discount fatigue as we were just starting the day. We possibly were rushing due to a late departure. At any rate, we inadvertently deviated from push/disconnect procedures. Lack of ground personnel in view did contribute to the error. Perhaps a flag on the tug would add a margin of safety. In this case we both failed to recognize the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 AFTER PUSHBACK, THINKING THE TOWBAR WAS DISCONNECTED, APPLIED PWR TO TAXI. GND CREW ALERTED CREW TOWBAR STILL CONNECTED.

Narrative: AFTER ENG START, THINKING WE HAD DISCONNECTED, FO CALLED AND RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC. I, ALSO FAILING TO REALIZE WE WERE STILL CONNECTED, VISUALLY CLRED L, FORWARD, THE FO R, AND ADDED POWER. INSTANTLY, HEARD A GND CALL, AND IMMEDIATELY RETARDED PWR. WE THEN DISCONNECTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. A POSSIBLE COMBINATION OF DISTR AND NO GND CREW IN SIGHT MAY HAVE ALLOWED BOTH OF US TO JUMP FROM THE DISCONNECT PHASE TO TAXI. I AM ASTONISHED THAT THIS HAPPENED, BUT IT DID. I DISCOUNT FATIGUE AS WE WERE JUST STARTING THE DAY. WE POSSIBLY WERE RUSHING DUE TO A LATE DEP. AT ANY RATE, WE INADVERTENTLY DEVIATED FROM PUSH/DISCONNECT PROCS. LACK OF GND PERSONNEL IN VIEW DID CONTRIBUTE TO THE ERROR. PERHAPS A FLAG ON THE TUG WOULD ADD A MARGIN OF SAFETY. IN THIS CASE WE BOTH FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE ERROR.

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.