Captain of A319 is distraction during completion of pushback and reports parking brakes set when he ...

Attributes
ACN	632220
Time
Date	200409
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
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	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	632220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At the end of pushback, I did not set the parking brake when called for by the tug driver. Even though the omission was unintentional, there could have been serious consequences. Events: #1 engine had reached idle about 15 seconds prior to the end of pushback. As the tug driver brought the aircraft to a stop, he made his SOP call 'set brakes.' at the very same moment, the lower ECAM displayed 'nosewheel steering/brakes inoperative...' along with a single chime. My hand went directly to the antiskid and nosewheel steering switch to turn it on as I mouthed 'brakes set, pressure normal, cleared to disconnect.' immediately the tug driver rapidly stated 'set brakes, set brakes. Set brakes.' I looked down at the parking brake handle, horrified. I set the parking brake. Immediately I asked the tug driver if anyone was hurt. He said no and continued with the disconnect procedure. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. Perceptions: I believe I was distraction by the ECAM message and inappropriately spring-loaded for brake failure (ie, the taxi with brake loss procedure of moving the switch and pressing the brakes again). Of course, this ECAM message is normal and will go away when we turn on the switch again after weave-off. Comments: I screwed up and could have caused, regrettably, injury or damage. I'm very thankful this did not happen. I will slow down and be more deliberate with my thinking and checking as I move levers and switches. In this case I will look and see the parking brake lever, look and check the brake pressure as I apply the parking brake. Then I will report 'brakes set, pressure normal, cleared to disconnect.' then I will simply observe and wait for the 'clear to taxi' salute, do my before taxi flow, and call for the checklist. I know the procedures, so unless a greater emergency exists, I will stay focused on methodical, deliberate sopa compliance. This report is very embarrassing and painful for me to make, but it would have been much worse had I injured someone or damaged something. Hopefully this information will keep others from making this mistake. It has certainly had an impact on me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A319 IS DISTR DURING COMPLETION OF PUSHBACK AND RPTS PARKING BRAKES SET WHEN HE HAD NOT, IN FACT, DONE SO.

Narrative: AT THE END OF PUSHBACK, I DID NOT SET THE PARKING BRAKE WHEN CALLED FOR BY THE TUG DRIVER. EVEN THOUGH THE OMISSION WAS UNINTENTIONAL, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. EVENTS: #1 ENG HAD REACHED IDLE ABOUT 15 SECONDS PRIOR TO THE END OF PUSHBACK. AS THE TUG DRIVER BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A STOP, HE MADE HIS SOP CALL 'SET BRAKES.' AT THE VERY SAME MOMENT, THE LOWER ECAM DISPLAYED 'NOSEWHEEL STEERING/BRAKES INOP...' ALONG WITH A SINGLE CHIME. MY HAND WENT DIRECTLY TO THE ANTISKID AND NOSEWHEEL STEERING SWITCH TO TURN IT ON AS I MOUTHED 'BRAKES SET, PRESSURE NORMAL, CLRED TO DISCONNECT.' IMMEDIATELY THE TUG DRIVER RAPIDLY STATED 'SET BRAKES, SET BRAKES. SET BRAKES.' I LOOKED DOWN AT THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE, HORRIFIED. I SET THE PARKING BRAKE. IMMEDIATELY I ASKED THE TUG DRIVER IF ANYONE WAS HURT. HE SAID NO AND CONTINUED WITH THE DISCONNECT PROC. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. PERCEPTIONS: I BELIEVE I WAS DISTR BY THE ECAM MESSAGE AND INAPPROPRIATELY SPRING-LOADED FOR BRAKE FAILURE (IE, THE TAXI WITH BRAKE LOSS PROC OF MOVING THE SWITCH AND PRESSING THE BRAKES AGAIN). OF COURSE, THIS ECAM MESSAGE IS NORMAL AND WILL GO AWAY WHEN WE TURN ON THE SWITCH AGAIN AFTER WEAVE-OFF. COMMENTS: I SCREWED UP AND COULD HAVE CAUSED, REGRETTABLY, INJURY OR DAMAGE. I'M VERY THANKFUL THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. I WILL SLOW DOWN AND BE MORE DELIBERATE WITH MY THINKING AND CHKING AS I MOVE LEVERS AND SWITCHES. IN THIS CASE I WILL LOOK AND SEE THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER, LOOK AND CHK THE BRAKE PRESSURE AS I APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE. THEN I WILL RPT 'BRAKES SET, PRESSURE NORMAL, CLRED TO DISCONNECT.' THEN I WILL SIMPLY OBSERVE AND WAIT FOR THE 'CLR TO TAXI' SALUTE, DO MY BEFORE TAXI FLOW, AND CALL FOR THE CHKLIST. I KNOW THE PROCS, SO UNLESS A GREATER EMER EXISTS, I WILL STAY FOCUSED ON METHODICAL, DELIBERATE SOPA COMPLIANCE. THIS RPT IS VERY EMBARRASSING AND PAINFUL FOR ME TO MAKE, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE HAD I INJURED SOMEONE OR DAMAGED SOMETHING. HOPEFULLY THIS INFO WILL KEEP OTHERS FROM MAKING THIS MISTAKE. IT HAS CERTAINLY HAD AN IMPACT ON ME.

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.

Captain of A319 is distraction during completion of pushback and reports parking brakes set when he had not, in fact, done so.