A catering truck ran into an EMB145 as the aircraft was pushed back from the gate for departure.

Attributes
ACN	670563
Time
Date	200508
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	670563
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	670568
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

At approximately XA20 we called for clearance to push back from gate. We then advised the ground crew via the headsets that we were cleared to push. The aircraft was pushed approximately 10 ft when the push driver had said the wing was hit by a catering truck. Light damage to left wingtip. The ramp push driver advised us the catering truck ran into the wing. Aircraft stopped; notified operations; maintenance; etc... Suggestions: by requiring an additional wing walker. We had our required number of wing walkers; but it wasn't enough. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that only one wing walker in addition to the tow driver was present. In this incident; the catering truck driver simply cut the corner too short and was inattentive because not only was the aircraft moving but its beacon was on. The catering truck belongs to the air carrier and was not contract. Supplemental information from acn 670568: we asked the ramp personnel if there was any damage to the aircraft. They said mostly to the catering truck. We then made an announcement to the passenger and advised them that we would be returning to the gate after ground personnel had done their inspection. After that we were tugged back to the gate to deplane the passenger. More wing walkers. If we had a wing walker on the left side of the aircraft I believe this would not have happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CATERING TRUCK RAN INTO AN EMB145 AS THE ACFT WAS PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE FOR DEP.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA20 WE CALLED FOR CLRNC TO PUSH BACK FROM GATE. WE THEN ADVISED THE GND CREW VIA THE HEADSETS THAT WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH. THE ACFT WAS PUSHED APPROX 10 FT WHEN THE PUSH DRIVER HAD SAID THE WING WAS HIT BY A CATERING TRUCK. LIGHT DAMAGE TO L WINGTIP. THE RAMP PUSH DRIVER ADVISED US THE CATERING TRUCK RAN INTO THE WING. ACFT STOPPED; NOTIFIED OPS; MAINT; ETC... SUGGESTIONS: BY REQUIRING AN ADDITIONAL WING WALKER. WE HAD OUR REQUIRED NUMBER OF WING WALKERS; BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT ONLY ONE WING WALKER IN ADDITION TO THE TOW DRIVER WAS PRESENT. IN THIS INCIDENT; THE CATERING TRUCK DRIVER SIMPLY CUT THE CORNER TOO SHORT AND WAS INATTENTIVE BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS THE ACFT MOVING BUT ITS BEACON WAS ON. THE CATERING TRUCK BELONGS TO THE ACR AND WAS NOT CONTRACT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 670568: WE ASKED THE RAMP PERSONNEL IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THEY SAID MOSTLY TO THE CATERING TRUCK. WE THEN MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO THE GATE AFTER GND PERSONNEL HAD DONE THEIR INSPECTION. AFTER THAT WE WERE TUGGED BACK TO THE GATE TO DEPLANE THE PAX. MORE WING WALKERS. IF WE HAD A WING WALKER ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT I BELIEVE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

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.