Narrative:

I am concerned for the lack of safety and quality control of parts at air carrier. Further; I see a serious lack of safety with the current SOP which requires A320 crews to disable the northwest steer and anti-lock brakes prior to departure. I had the opportunity to witness; first hand; the serious and possible catastrophic consequences while following this procedure. The aircraft sat at the gate for 4+ hours due to the 'park brake unable to release.' maintenance replaced and returned the aircraft back to service. During pushback; while starting #1 engine; the captain was instructed to set brakes. Initially; brake pressure rose. Captain busy with communication with ground crew which had stated they had placed us slightly off the centerline. I was busy monitoring the engine start and ramp frequency. Park brake failed and aircraft began to roll forward. The captain reacted in an expeditious manner; releasing the park brake; turing on the nosewheel steering and applying normal brakes. The aircraft still rolled at least 10 ft. Had personnel and equipment been positioned directly in front of the aircraft; the outcome would have been quite different. Damage to property and possible personnel injury. Bottom line: current SOP is dangerous and unsafe. I don't think airbus intended for operator that the 'normal' operation requires intentionally disabling aircraft system; which in turn leaves the crew with no backup; redundant system available. I urge that air carrier change the current SOP in due diligence since this is a serious safety issue. With maintenance being outsourced; the lower quality of replacement parts and current unsafe SOP; we are setting up for disaster. Further; I see an increased number of stations which have defective headsets for the pushback crews. Had we been using hand signals during this pushback; things would have turned up even worse. In closing; I hope I have not wasted my time in writing this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 PARKING BRAKE FAILED WHEN SET ON PUSHBACK AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE ALTERNATE BRAKE SYS FAILED EVEN THOUGH PRESSURIZED.

Narrative: I AM CONCERNED FOR THE LACK OF SAFETY AND QUALITY CTL OF PARTS AT ACR. FURTHER; I SEE A SERIOUS LACK OF SAFETY WITH THE CURRENT SOP WHICH REQUIRES A320 CREWS TO DISABLE THE NW STEER AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES PRIOR TO DEP. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS; FIRST HAND; THE SERIOUS AND POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES WHILE FOLLOWING THIS PROC. THE ACFT SAT AT THE GATE FOR 4+ HRS DUE TO THE 'PARK BRAKE UNABLE TO RELEASE.' MAINT REPLACED AND RETURNED THE ACFT BACK TO SVC. DURING PUSHBACK; WHILE STARTING #1 ENG; THE CAPT WAS INSTRUCTED TO SET BRAKES. INITIALLY; BRAKE PRESSURE ROSE. CAPT BUSY WITH COM WITH GND CREW WHICH HAD STATED THEY HAD PLACED US SLIGHTLY OFF THE CTRLINE. I WAS BUSY MONITORING THE ENG START AND RAMP FREQ. PARK BRAKE FAILED AND ACFT BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE CAPT REACTED IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER; RELEASING THE PARK BRAKE; TURING ON THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING AND APPLYING NORMAL BRAKES. THE ACFT STILL ROLLED AT LEAST 10 FT. HAD PERSONNEL AND EQUIP BEEN POSITIONED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE ACFT; THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE DIFFERENT. DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND POSSIBLE PERSONNEL INJURY. BOTTOM LINE: CURRENT SOP IS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE. I DON'T THINK AIRBUS INTENDED FOR OPERATOR THAT THE 'NORMAL' OP REQUIRES INTENTIONALLY DISABLING ACFT SYS; WHICH IN TURN LEAVES THE CREW WITH NO BACKUP; REDUNDANT SYS AVAILABLE. I URGE THAT ACR CHANGE THE CURRENT SOP IN DUE DILIGENCE SINCE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WITH MAINT BEING OUTSOURCED; THE LOWER QUALITY OF REPLACEMENT PARTS AND CURRENT UNSAFE SOP; WE ARE SETTING UP FOR DISASTER. FURTHER; I SEE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF STATIONS WHICH HAVE DEFECTIVE HEADSETS FOR THE PUSHBACK CREWS. HAD WE BEEN USING HAND SIGNALS DURING THIS PUSHBACK; THINGS WOULD HAVE TURNED UP EVEN WORSE. IN CLOSING; I HOPE I HAVE NOT WASTED MY TIME IN WRITING THIS RPT.

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.