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B757 crew reports tow bar failure during pushback with subsequent flight attendant injuries when brakes are vigorously applied.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 706620 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200608 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| 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 |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 22705 flight time type : 4371 |
| ASRS Report | 706620 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5530 flight time type : 4342 |
| ASRS Report | 706622 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Cabin Crew Human Performance FAA |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
With 192 souls on board including 1 cabin and 1 cockpit jumpseat filled; I gave clearance to the ramp to push from gate. There is construction on taxiway a with arrival aircraft exiting off runway 28R near this gate. We had gone about 20 ft; when there was a very strong jolt to the aircraft nose area and the aircraft began to accelerate away from the tug. I called several times to the ground crew and got no answer. I applied the brakes and got the aircraft stopped. I instructed the first officer to check with the cabin as to the condition of the crew and passenger. I called ground control and advised them that we were stopped partially into the taxiway and that we had trouble with the tug. Another tow bar was brought to the aircraft and they plugged in to inform us that the pin had sheared and they had another tow bar and were ready to finish pushing. At the same time the flight attendants came to the cockpit to tell the condition of the passenger and crew. 1 flight attendant had an ice compress on her nose bridge area. There was an open cut and I could see swelling in the area. She advised me that she thought she could continue. I advised her to get medical treatment and that I was removing her from the flight for her own safety. They also checked and advised that all passenger were in their seats with belts on and there were no injuries. I advised the push crew that we needed to be towed back to the gate. The first officer called operations and asked for the agent to meet us back at the gate. Maintenance was requested and entered in the logbook. After some inspections of the nose gear; maintenance cleared the aircraft for flight and issued a new release. Dispatch was notified via ACARS as to our situation. I made several cabin announcements as to the event and the ongoing process of the inspections. Flight attendants made the passenger comfortable while this was resolved.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757 CREW RPTS TOW BAR FAILURE DURING PUSHBACK WITH SUBSEQUENT FLT ATTENDANT INJURIES WHEN BRAKES ARE VIGOROUSLY APPLIED.
Narrative: WITH 192 SOULS ON BOARD INCLUDING 1 CABIN AND 1 COCKPIT JUMPSEAT FILLED; I GAVE CLRNC TO THE RAMP TO PUSH FROM GATE. THERE IS CONSTRUCTION ON TXWY A WITH ARR ACFT EXITING OFF RWY 28R NEAR THIS GATE. WE HAD GONE ABOUT 20 FT; WHEN THERE WAS A VERY STRONG JOLT TO THE ACFT NOSE AREA AND THE ACFT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AWAY FROM THE TUG. I CALLED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE GND CREW AND GOT NO ANSWER. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND GOT THE ACFT STOPPED. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CHK WITH THE CABIN AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE CREW AND PAX. I CALLED GND CTL AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE STOPPED PARTIALLY INTO THE TXWY AND THAT WE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE TUG. ANOTHER TOW BAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE ACFT AND THEY PLUGGED IN TO INFORM US THAT THE PIN HAD SHEARED AND THEY HAD ANOTHER TOW BAR AND WERE READY TO FINISH PUSHING. AT THE SAME TIME THE FLT ATTENDANTS CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO TELL THE CONDITION OF THE PAX AND CREW. 1 FLT ATTENDANT HAD AN ICE COMPRESS ON HER NOSE BRIDGE AREA. THERE WAS AN OPEN CUT AND I COULD SEE SWELLING IN THE AREA. SHE ADVISED ME THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD CONTINUE. I ADVISED HER TO GET MEDICAL TREATMENT AND THAT I WAS REMOVING HER FROM THE FLT FOR HER OWN SAFETY. THEY ALSO CHKED AND ADVISED THAT ALL PAX WERE IN THEIR SEATS WITH BELTS ON AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I ADVISED THE PUSH CREW THAT WE NEEDED TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. THE FO CALLED OPS AND ASKED FOR THE AGENT TO MEET US BACK AT THE GATE. MAINT WAS REQUESTED AND ENTERED IN THE LOGBOOK. AFTER SOME INSPECTIONS OF THE NOSE GEAR; MAINT CLRED THE ACFT FOR FLT AND ISSUED A NEW RELEASE. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED VIA ACARS AS TO OUR SITUATION. I MADE SEVERAL CABIN ANNOUNCEMENTS AS TO THE EVENT AND THE ONGOING PROCESS OF THE INSPECTIONS. FLT ATTENDANTS MADE THE PAX COMFORTABLE WHILE THIS WAS RESOLVED.
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.