Narrative:

Passenger boarding was completed; all doors closed and the jetway pulled back. The lead ramp personnel 'checked in' with me via headset; informed me the 'walkaround check was complete and we're ready for pushback.' we received clearance from ramp control to push back to spot X. I informed the lead ramp personnel via headset; 'the brakes are released; you are cleared to push; spot X.' just shortly thereafter; I felt an impact to the aircraft. The lead ramp personnel requested me; via headset; 'to set the brakes; and a ladder had just struck the left wingtip of the aircraft.' I set the brakes of the aircraft and requested maintenance. Upon further investigation; I found a very large stairs had been blown into the left wing of the aircraft causing damage to the navigation and strobe light lens cover. A heavy B747 had been repositioned to spot Y in the alleyway; started engines and was using 'break away thrust' when the stairs were blown into the aircraft. I feel my pushback crew acted appropriately and were unable to prevent the stairs from striking the left wing of the aircraft. I also feel there were several factors which caused this incident: 1) the brakes on the portable stairs were not set; thus preventing their movement. 2) the stairs may have been positioned in an inappropriate place. 3) the spot on the D-10 alleyway does not properly support the extreme weight of the heavy aircraft; thus making it extremely difficult to get an aircraft moving after coming to a complete stop. Many times maximum 'break away' thrust must be used to get the aircraft moving. Due to the extensive use of the heavy aircraft in the D-10 alleyway; I strongly suggest the position in the D-10 alleyway be reconstructed with a high strength concrete; thus better supporting the excessive weight during 'break away' thrust applications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 WAS DAMAGED DURING PUSHBACK AT LAX WHEN A BOARDING STAIR WAS BLOWN INTO THE WINGTIP BY ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: PAX BOARDING WAS COMPLETED; ALL DOORS CLOSED AND THE JETWAY PULLED BACK. THE LEAD RAMP PERSONNEL 'CHKED IN' WITH ME VIA HEADSET; INFORMED ME THE 'WALKAROUND CHK WAS COMPLETE AND WE'RE READY FOR PUSHBACK.' WE RECEIVED CLRNC FROM RAMP CTL TO PUSH BACK TO SPOT X. I INFORMED THE LEAD RAMP PERSONNEL VIA HEADSET; 'THE BRAKES ARE RELEASED; YOU ARE CLRED TO PUSH; SPOT X.' JUST SHORTLY THEREAFTER; I FELT AN IMPACT TO THE ACFT. THE LEAD RAMP PERSONNEL REQUESTED ME; VIA HEADSET; 'TO SET THE BRAKES; AND A LADDER HAD JUST STRUCK THE L WINGTIP OF THE ACFT.' I SET THE BRAKES OF THE ACFT AND REQUESTED MAINT. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION; I FOUND A VERY LARGE STAIRS HAD BEEN BLOWN INTO THE L WING OF THE ACFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE NAV AND STROBE LIGHT LENS COVER. A HVY B747 HAD BEEN REPOSITIONED TO SPOT Y IN THE ALLEYWAY; STARTED ENGS AND WAS USING 'BREAK AWAY THRUST' WHEN THE STAIRS WERE BLOWN INTO THE ACFT. I FEEL MY PUSHBACK CREW ACTED APPROPRIATELY AND WERE UNABLE TO PREVENT THE STAIRS FROM STRIKING THE L WING OF THE ACFT. I ALSO FEEL THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS WHICH CAUSED THIS INCIDENT: 1) THE BRAKES ON THE PORTABLE STAIRS WERE NOT SET; THUS PREVENTING THEIR MOVEMENT. 2) THE STAIRS MAY HAVE BEEN POSITIONED IN AN INAPPROPRIATE PLACE. 3) THE SPOT ON THE D-10 ALLEYWAY DOES NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE EXTREME WT OF THE HVY ACFT; THUS MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET AN ACFT MOVING AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. MANY TIMES MAX 'BREAK AWAY' THRUST MUST BE USED TO GET THE ACFT MOVING. DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE USE OF THE HVY ACFT IN THE D-10 ALLEYWAY; I STRONGLY SUGGEST THE POS IN THE D-10 ALLEYWAY BE RECONSTRUCTED WITH A HIGH STRENGTH CONCRETE; THUS BETTER SUPPORTING THE EXCESSIVE WT DURING 'BREAK AWAY' THRUST APPLICATIONS.

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.