Narrative:

During pushback, the wing walker was walking behind the tug driver. There was no possible way he could have gotten the tug driver's attention to stop the tug, if needed. In pitch dark, the wing walker had his daylight wands in his back pocket during the pushback. When he attempted to give me the final salute, I could not see it with his wands. They need to use flashlights with wands during nighttime operations. This process if an accident waiting to happen. The ground crew must be well positioned during the pushback and with the proper equipment, for the time of day and conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B757-200 ADVISES THAT WING CLRNC MARSHALLER WAS NOT IN A POS TO BE ABLE TO ALERT TUG DRIVER OF POTENTIAL HAZARD.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK, THE WING WALKER WAS WALKING BEHIND THE TUG DRIVER. THERE WAS NO POSSIBLE WAY HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE TUG DRIVER'S ATTN TO STOP THE TUG, IF NEEDED. IN PITCH DARK, THE WING WALKER HAD HIS DAYLIGHT WANDS IN HIS BACK POCKET DURING THE PUSHBACK. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO GIVE ME THE FINAL SALUTE, I COULD NOT SEE IT WITH HIS WANDS. THEY NEED TO USE FLASHLIGHTS WITH WANDS DURING NIGHTTIME OPS. THIS PROCESS IF AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE GND CREW MUST BE WELL POSITIONED DURING THE PUSHBACK AND WITH THE PROPER EQUIP, FOR THE TIME OF DAY AND CONDITIONS.

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.