Narrative:

All operations normal until end of pushback. Then I received a 'salute and a release' from the pushback crew man. I thought to myself; 'where did the tug go?' I sat up and looked to see the tug (although he had already disconnected) was sitting under the nose. If I hadn't wondered and looked; I could have taxied into the tug. Why was the ramper saluting and releasing the flight when the tug was still under the aircraft and not even near being cleared away from the airplane? Just by observing the ramper's attitude on the salute and release; it was obvious that he didn't have any enthusiasm (apathy) in doing his job. Unfortunately; his lax attitude almost damaged an airplane and tug; and almost injured his driver. We reported this incident to operations right after it happened and continued on without any other incident. We do not need unsafe people on the ramp!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW GOT A SALUTE FROM THE RAMP WITH THE TUG WAS STILL POSITIONED JUST AHEAD OF THE ACFT.

Narrative: ALL OPS NORMAL UNTIL END OF PUSHBACK. THEN I RECEIVED A 'SALUTE AND A RELEASE' FROM THE PUSHBACK CREW MAN. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF; 'WHERE DID THE TUG GO?' I SAT UP AND LOOKED TO SEE THE TUG (ALTHOUGH HE HAD ALREADY DISCONNECTED) WAS SITTING UNDER THE NOSE. IF I HADN'T WONDERED AND LOOKED; I COULD HAVE TAXIED INTO THE TUG. WHY WAS THE RAMPER SALUTING AND RELEASING THE FLT WHEN THE TUG WAS STILL UNDER THE ACFT AND NOT EVEN NEAR BEING CLRED AWAY FROM THE AIRPLANE? JUST BY OBSERVING THE RAMPER'S ATTITUDE ON THE SALUTE AND RELEASE; IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ENTHUSIASM (APATHY) IN DOING HIS JOB. UNFORTUNATELY; HIS LAX ATTITUDE ALMOST DAMAGED AN AIRPLANE AND TUG; AND ALMOST INJURED HIS DRIVER. WE RPTED THIS INCIDENT TO OPS RIGHT AFTER IT HAPPENED AND CONTINUED ON WITHOUT ANY OTHER INCIDENT. WE DO NOT NEED UNSAFE PEOPLE ON THE RAMP!

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.