Narrative:

Operating as captain on flight, noted pushback was going awry and in my best estimation aircraft would leave designated taxiway and encroach upon infield area. Ordered tug driver to stop, which he did. Engine #1 was at idle. There was no other ground traffic except air carrier X under tow behind us. As I was ready to taxi, at that point I asked the tug driver to disconnect and pull away so I could taxi out. He declined, saying he was unable as he was not allowed to release aircraft forward of line on alleyway india, and informed me I was still partially on an area of the taxiway C. I responded I understood but that I was not going to release the brake and let my aircraft be pushed further back. I considered it to be unsafe for the following reasons: I was positive I would encroach the infield. Not knowing what damage could be inflicted to the tire(south) if they ran over the markers (are they steel? Aluminum? Wooden? Who knows?). If aircraft did run over markers, would #1 engine suck up debris? What other debris might be in infield? Unnecessary standoff briefly ensued. I made the judgement that for safety, economy, and timeliness the most appropriate action for my aircraft was to disconnect and allow me to pull forward. After further argument with tug operator, and his assurance that aircraft would not encroach upon infield, I reluctantly released the brake and allowed the pushback to continue. My #1 (left outboard) tire track crossed into the field as did both tire tracks from the nosewheel bogie! My first officer and I were sitting in the infield for a few moments. I was deliberately or ignorantly lied to in order to get me to comply with their wishes against my better judgement.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN SPITE OF A WARNING FROM PIC, AN A320 IS PUSHED BACK INTO A GRASS AREA OFF TXWY C BY A COMPANY TUG DRIVER AT PHX.

Narrative: OPERATING AS CAPT ON FLT, NOTED PUSHBACK WAS GOING AWRY AND IN MY BEST ESTIMATION ACFT WOULD LEAVE DESIGNATED TXWY AND ENCROACH UPON INFIELD AREA. ORDERED TUG DRIVER TO STOP, WHICH HE DID. ENG #1 WAS AT IDLE. THERE WAS NO OTHER GND TFC EXCEPT ACR X UNDER TOW BEHIND US. AS I WAS READY TO TAXI, AT THAT POINT I ASKED THE TUG DRIVER TO DISCONNECT AND PULL AWAY SO I COULD TAXI OUT. HE DECLINED, SAYING HE WAS UNABLE AS HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO RELEASE ACFT FORWARD OF LINE ON ALLEYWAY INDIA, AND INFORMED ME I WAS STILL PARTIALLY ON AN AREA OF THE TXWY C. I RESPONDED I UNDERSTOOD BUT THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO RELEASE THE BRAKE AND LET MY ACFT BE PUSHED FURTHER BACK. I CONSIDERED IT TO BE UNSAFE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: I WAS POSITIVE I WOULD ENCROACH THE INFIELD. NOT KNOWING WHAT DAMAGE COULD BE INFLICTED TO THE TIRE(S) IF THEY RAN OVER THE MARKERS (ARE THEY STEEL? ALUMINUM? WOODEN? WHO KNOWS?). IF ACFT DID RUN OVER MARKERS, WOULD #1 ENG SUCK UP DEBRIS? WHAT OTHER DEBRIS MIGHT BE IN INFIELD? UNNECESSARY STANDOFF BRIEFLY ENSUED. I MADE THE JUDGEMENT THAT FOR SAFETY, ECONOMY, AND TIMELINESS THE MOST APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR MY ACFT WAS TO DISCONNECT AND ALLOW ME TO PULL FORWARD. AFTER FURTHER ARGUMENT WITH TUG OPERATOR, AND HIS ASSURANCE THAT ACFT WOULD NOT ENCROACH UPON INFIELD, I RELUCTANTLY RELEASED THE BRAKE AND ALLOWED THE PUSHBACK TO CONTINUE. MY #1 (L OUTBOARD) TIRE TRACK CROSSED INTO THE FIELD AS DID BOTH TIRE TRACKS FROM THE NOSEWHEEL BOGIE! MY FO AND I WERE SITTING IN THE INFIELD FOR A FEW MOMENTS. I WAS DELIBERATELY OR IGNORANTLY LIED TO IN ORDER TO GET ME TO COMPLY WITH THEIR WISHES AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT.

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.