A320 captain reports tow bar disconnected during push from gate. Aircraft was stopped with aircraft ...

Attributes
ACN	709151
Time
Date	200609
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
Make Model Name	A320
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 : 90 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	709151
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : tug driver
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During pushback; about 100 ft from the gate; the driver said over the interphone; 'set brakes; set brakes; set brakes!' he was very excited; yelling. I repeated over the interphone; 'set brakes' and looked out the front and saw we were not connected to the tow bar or the tug. We were rolling downhill and picking up speed; about 5 KTS. I tried to push the toe brakes gently; but the brakes grabbed; and the aircraft lunged and tipped slightly with the nosewheel off the ground and then resettled. I set the brakes and called the cabin to see how everyone was in the back. The pursers said everyone was fine. I then called the tug operator and asked what happened. He said the pin must have fallen out. I asked if anything was broken on the tow bar or the aircraft. He said no. I asked if the pin was broken; he said no. He reconnected the tug and asked to commence the push. I said let's take a min and discuss what went wrong. He repeated the statements. I was satisfied our aircraft and tow was ok to continue. We pushed back another 100 ft and the tug disconnected. After we disconnected; the purser called back and said one flight attendant had hurt his back and that the purser was injured and we should go back to the gate. We got clearance to return to the gate; and called operations and coordination for 2 replacement flight attendants. We departed 1 hour late with no other incidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT RPTS TOW BAR DISCONNECTED DURING PUSH FROM GATE. ACFT WAS STOPPED WITH ACFT BRAKES WHILE ROLLING BACKWARDS APPROX 5 KTS; RAISING THE NOSE GEAR OFF THE GND. 2 CABIN ATTENDANTS SUFFERED INJURIES.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK; ABOUT 100 FT FROM THE GATE; THE DRIVER SAID OVER THE INTERPHONE; 'SET BRAKES; SET BRAKES; SET BRAKES!' HE WAS VERY EXCITED; YELLING. I REPEATED OVER THE INTERPHONE; 'SET BRAKES' AND LOOKED OUT THE FRONT AND SAW WE WERE NOT CONNECTED TO THE TOW BAR OR THE TUG. WE WERE ROLLING DOWNHILL AND PICKING UP SPD; ABOUT 5 KTS. I TRIED TO PUSH THE TOE BRAKES GENTLY; BUT THE BRAKES GRABBED; AND THE ACFT LUNGED AND TIPPED SLIGHTLY WITH THE NOSEWHEEL OFF THE GND AND THEN RESETTLED. I SET THE BRAKES AND CALLED THE CABIN TO SEE HOW EVERYONE WAS IN THE BACK. THE PURSERS SAID EVERYONE WAS FINE. I THEN CALLED THE TUG OPERATOR AND ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID THE PIN MUST HAVE FALLEN OUT. I ASKED IF ANYTHING WAS BROKEN ON THE TOW BAR OR THE ACFT. HE SAID NO. I ASKED IF THE PIN WAS BROKEN; HE SAID NO. HE RECONNECTED THE TUG AND ASKED TO COMMENCE THE PUSH. I SAID LET'S TAKE A MIN AND DISCUSS WHAT WENT WRONG. HE REPEATED THE STATEMENTS. I WAS SATISFIED OUR ACFT AND TOW WAS OK TO CONTINUE. WE PUSHED BACK ANOTHER 100 FT AND THE TUG DISCONNECTED. AFTER WE DISCONNECTED; THE PURSER CALLED BACK AND SAID ONE FLT ATTENDANT HAD HURT HIS BACK AND THAT THE PURSER WAS INJURED AND WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE GATE. WE GOT CLRNC TO RETURN TO THE GATE; AND CALLED OPS AND COORD FOR 2 REPLACEMENT FLT ATTENDANTS. WE DEPARTED 1 HR LATE WITH NO OTHER INCIDENTS.

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.

A320 captain reports tow bar disconnected during push from gate. Aircraft was stopped with aircraft brakes while rolling backwards approximately 5 KTS; raising the nose gear off the ground. 2 cabin attendants suffered injuries.