An air carrier mechanic reports that a contract pushback crew failed to install a pin connecting the...

Attributes
ACN	668912
Time
Date	200508
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pbi.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	668912
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We were sitting at gate X after bringing an aircraft up from the hangar. An aircraft was being pushed back from gate Y by a contract crew for a flight at about xa:25. One of the guys in our truck noticed that the steel pin that connects the towbar to the tug wasn't in and as he was pointing it out to us; the tug driver turned the wheel and slightly let off the gas. The tug slowed down but the airplane rolled on without it. The tug driver; who normally has headset communications with the cockpit; didn't have the headset at this time; a guy walking along side the plane did. The tug driver was unable to get his attention for several seconds while the airplane continued to roll toward the gates all by itself. It appeared the copilot noticed that something was wrong before the guy on the headset contacted them. The crew was able to bring the aircraft to a smooth stop so with any luck; nobody else on board noticed anything wrong. I estimate the plane rolled 25 to 30 ft by itself. Luckily; no injury or damage occurred; but there was a lot of potential for both just because someone forgot to put the pin in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MECHANIC RPTS THAT A CONTRACT PUSHBACK CREW FAILED TO INSTALL A PIN CONNECTING THE TUG TO THE ACFT TOWBAR; WHICH CAUSED THE ACFT TO ROLL TOWARDS THE GATE UNCOMMANDED AS THE TUG SLOWED.

Narrative: WE WERE SITTING AT GATE X AFTER BRINGING AN ACFT UP FROM THE HANGAR. AN ACFT WAS BEING PUSHED BACK FROM GATE Y BY A CONTRACT CREW FOR A FLT AT ABOUT XA:25. ONE OF THE GUYS IN OUR TRUCK NOTICED THAT THE STEEL PIN THAT CONNECTS THE TOWBAR TO THE TUG WASN'T IN AND AS HE WAS POINTING IT OUT TO US; THE TUG DRIVER TURNED THE WHEEL AND SLIGHTLY LET OFF THE GAS. THE TUG SLOWED DOWN BUT THE AIRPLANE ROLLED ON WITHOUT IT. THE TUG DRIVER; WHO NORMALLY HAS HEADSET COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COCKPIT; DIDN'T HAVE THE HEADSET AT THIS TIME; A GUY WALKING ALONG SIDE THE PLANE DID. THE TUG DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO GET HIS ATTENTION FOR SEVERAL SECONDS WHILE THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO ROLL TOWARD THE GATES ALL BY ITSELF. IT APPEARED THE COPLT NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG BEFORE THE GUY ON THE HEADSET CONTACTED THEM. THE CREW WAS ABLE TO BRING THE ACFT TO A SMOOTH STOP SO WITH ANY LUCK; NOBODY ELSE ON BOARD NOTICED ANYTHING WRONG. I ESTIMATE THE PLANE ROLLED 25 TO 30 FT BY ITSELF. LUCKILY; NO INJURY OR DAMAGE OCCURRED; BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR BOTH JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE FORGOT TO PUT THE PIN IN.

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.

An air carrier mechanic reports that a contract pushback crew failed to install a pin connecting the tug to the aircraft towbar; which caused the aircraft to roll towards the gate uncommanded as the tug slowed.