<< >> NASA ASRS Report 657116, May 2005

Ramp personnel use hand signals for pushback without pre-brief or coordination of flight crew; who are forced to start engines without ground clearance.

Attributes
ACN	657116
Time
Date	200505
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz1.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	657116
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Discovered that ramp planned to use hand signals for pushback by noticing ramp agent waving arms out in front of aircraft. No verbal advisement and no prior coordination received. Proceeded with proper signals for pushback up to set brakes at end of push. Then they simply disconnected and sat in front of aircraft with a salute; waiting for taxi light. Never gave clearance to start any engine. Not knowing how to communicate with them to receive start signal; flashed light hoping this would initiate required signal. They then simply drove off; leaving us on the ramp with no clearance to start. With no other option; violated sops and clearing the engines as best as we could; proceeded with normal start. Both engines registered normal egts and N1; N2; so are reasonably assured that no personnel or equipment were sucked through engines.

Related reports:

• Reporter, an air carrier company ground personnel mechanic, ...
• Md-11 captain reported ground personnel pulled the chocks wi...
• An A300 was deiced without coordination between flight crew ...
• ZJX controller alleges that airway facilities personnel remo...
• Driver of a pushback tractor reported the captain deviated f...
• B727 crew departs bos with less fuel than their revised comp...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAMP PERSONNEL USE HAND SIGNALS FOR PUSHBACK WITHOUT PRE-BRIEF OR COORDINATION OF FLT CREW; WHO ARE FORCED TO START ENGS WITHOUT GND CLRNC.

Narrative: DISCOVERED THAT RAMP PLANNED TO USE HAND SIGNALS FOR PUSHBACK BY NOTICING RAMP AGENT WAVING ARMS OUT IN FRONT OF ACFT. NO VERBAL ADVISEMENT AND NO PRIOR COORDINATION RECEIVED. PROCEEDED WITH PROPER SIGNALS FOR PUSHBACK UP TO SET BRAKES AT END OF PUSH. THEN THEY SIMPLY DISCONNECTED AND SAT IN FRONT OF ACFT WITH A SALUTE; WAITING FOR TAXI LIGHT. NEVER GAVE CLRNC TO START ANY ENG. NOT KNOWING HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM TO RECEIVE START SIGNAL; FLASHED LIGHT HOPING THIS WOULD INITIATE REQUIRED SIGNAL. THEY THEN SIMPLY DROVE OFF; LEAVING US ON THE RAMP WITH NO CLRNC TO START. WITH NO OTHER OPTION; VIOLATED SOPS AND CLEARING THE ENGS AS BEST AS WE COULD; PROCEEDED WITH NORMAL START. BOTH ENGS REGISTERED NORMAL EGTS AND N1; N2; SO ARE REASONABLY ASSURED THAT NO PERSONNEL OR EQUIP WERE SUCKED THROUGH ENGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.