Narrative:

Partial pushback for deicing in sea. Not normal in sea. Verbiage was normal for initial pushback; pushed about 60-80 ft back then stopped to deice. Tug operator said 'set brakes and configure.' I replied that brakes were set and pressure was normal. First officer advised that we were configured and I told tug driver we were configured. Tug driver came back on and advised deice complete and start time and fluid type. I told first officer this information and he proceeded to get pushback clearance for engine start. First officer advised that we were cleared to push; tail west. All this verbiage is not exact and I am not exact on my recollection of my words to the tug driver. I said something like we were ready to go and cleared to push tail west or ready to go tail west. Tug driver questioned with something like you're ready to go? And I said yes. I did not say brakes set; though I am very conscious of saying that when I reply to pushback crew. Tug driver then proceeded to try to push airplane back with brake set. I was very surprised at this; but before I had the presence of mind to react on the interphone the tug driver had given one push followed immediately by another very hard push (could hear tug motor strain) followed immediately by a loud bang. I hit the brake pedals to release the brakes as I realized what was happening but never got them released. I asked what had happened and tug driver said tow bar was messed up big time. He came back on and asked if brakes were set and I said no but I would set them. Never got my feet off the brakes and aircraft did not move. Tug driver did not ask me to release brakes prior to trying to push back the airplane. After determining that no one was injured on the ground; I talked to flight attendants and found that cabin was ok. Then mechanic came on interphone and said that a bracket had broken off nose gear and we should start up an engine and taxi back to gate for a quick fix by cannibalizing the aircraft next door. Left engine would not start; got #1 engine fuel valve EICAS and engine valve light on console. Ran qrc for abnormal start and then started right engine and taxied in to gate. Decision was made to switch to spare aircraft on next gate. First officer was right on SOP throughout and a great help with communication with operations while I coordination with ground personnel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLT CREW HAS NOSEWHEEL DAMAGED DURING PUSHBACK FOR ENG START.

Narrative: PARTIAL PUSHBACK FOR DEICING IN SEA. NOT NORMAL IN SEA. VERBIAGE WAS NORMAL FOR INITIAL PUSHBACK; PUSHED ABOUT 60-80 FT BACK THEN STOPPED TO DEICE. TUG OPERATOR SAID 'SET BRAKES AND CONFIGURE.' I REPLIED THAT BRAKES WERE SET AND PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. FO ADVISED THAT WE WERE CONFIGURED AND I TOLD TUG DRIVER WE WERE CONFIGURED. TUG DRIVER CAME BACK ON AND ADVISED DEICE COMPLETE AND START TIME AND FLUID TYPE. I TOLD FO THIS INFO AND HE PROCEEDED TO GET PUSHBACK CLRNC FOR ENG START. FO ADVISED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH; TAIL W. ALL THIS VERBIAGE IS NOT EXACT AND I AM NOT EXACT ON MY RECOLLECTION OF MY WORDS TO THE TUG DRIVER. I SAID SOMETHING LIKE WE WERE READY TO GO AND CLRED TO PUSH TAIL W OR READY TO GO TAIL W. TUG DRIVER QUESTIONED WITH SOMETHING LIKE YOU'RE READY TO GO? AND I SAID YES. I DID NOT SAY BRAKES SET; THOUGH I AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF SAYING THAT WHEN I REPLY TO PUSHBACK CREW. TUG DRIVER THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY TO PUSH AIRPLANE BACK WITH BRAKE SET. I WAS VERY SURPRISED AT THIS; BUT BEFORE I HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO REACT ON THE INTERPHONE THE TUG DRIVER HAD GIVEN ONE PUSH FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY ANOTHER VERY HARD PUSH (COULD HEAR TUG MOTOR STRAIN) FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A LOUD BANG. I HIT THE BRAKE PEDALS TO RELEASE THE BRAKES AS I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING BUT NEVER GOT THEM RELEASED. I ASKED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND TUG DRIVER SAID TOW BAR WAS MESSED UP BIG TIME. HE CAME BACK ON AND ASKED IF BRAKES WERE SET AND I SAID NO BUT I WOULD SET THEM. NEVER GOT MY FEET OFF THE BRAKES AND ACFT DID NOT MOVE. TUG DRIVER DID NOT ASK ME TO RELEASE BRAKES PRIOR TO TRYING TO PUSH BACK THE AIRPLANE. AFTER DETERMINING THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED ON THE GND; I TALKED TO FLT ATTENDANTS AND FOUND THAT CABIN WAS OK. THEN MECH CAME ON INTERPHONE AND SAID THAT A BRACKET HAD BROKEN OFF NOSE GEAR AND WE SHOULD START UP AN ENG AND TAXI BACK TO GATE FOR A QUICK FIX BY CANNIBALIZING THE ACFT NEXT DOOR. L ENG WOULD NOT START; GOT #1 ENG FUEL VALVE EICAS AND ENG VALVE LIGHT ON CONSOLE. RAN QRC FOR ABNORMAL START AND THEN STARTED R ENG AND TAXIED IN TO GATE. DECISION WAS MADE TO SWITCH TO SPARE ACFT ON NEXT GATE. FO WAS RIGHT ON SOP THROUGHOUT AND A GREAT HELP WITH COM WITH OPS WHILE I COORD WITH GND PERSONNEL.

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.