Narrative:

On pushback from the gate at seattle; our ground crew pushed the aircraft uncomfortably close to the chain link fence behind and north of gates -- not once; but twice. The first incident took place when I noticed the nosewheel of the jet was between the taxiway centerline and the double yellow lines; delineating the edge of the ramp area. I immediately called this to the attention of the ground crew and they promptly corrected the aircraft's position. The second event took place as I was in the process of starting the engines. Not long after engaging the start switch for the right engine; I looked outside and again noticed the nosewheel of the aircraft was almost aligned with the double yellow lines delineating the edge of the ramp area; rather than the centerline of the taxiway. I immediately released the start switch and aborted the start as I called this deviation from the centerline to the ground crew's attention. This time no effort was made to repos the aircraft and they instructed me to set brakes in order for the tow bar to be disconnected. After engine start; I made the decision to return to the gate in order for maintenance to inspect the aircraft just to be certain that there had been no contact between the jet and the chain link fence. After speaking with the ground crew's manager; I was told that the ground crew estimated our jet 'was within 6 ft of the fence on pushback.' it's important to carefully monitor the ground crew on pushback. At night; all flight deck lights should be selected to a darkened position to maximize visibility outside the airplane. Also; I would recommend that no duties besides monitoring the pushback take place off these 2 gates until the ground crew has positioned the aircraft in a position; so that contact with the fence would not be possible. Performing no duties on pushback other than monitoring pushback would also entail delaying engine start until well in the clear and away from the fence area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD 80 CAPTAIN REPORTS PUSH BACK CREW IS NOT STAYING WITHIN RAMP BOUNDARIES DURING PUSH BACK AND IS GETTING TOO CLOSE TO A FENCE.

Narrative: ON PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE AT SEATTLE; OUR GND CREW PUSHED THE ACFT UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO THE CHAIN LINK FENCE BEHIND AND N OF GATES -- NOT ONCE; BUT TWICE. THE FIRST INCIDENT TOOK PLACE WHEN I NOTICED THE NOSEWHEEL OF THE JET WAS BTWN THE TXWY CTRLINE AND THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINES; DELINEATING THE EDGE OF THE RAMP AREA. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THIS TO THE ATTN OF THE GND CREW AND THEY PROMPTLY CORRECTED THE ACFT'S POS. THE SECOND EVENT TOOK PLACE AS I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING THE ENGS. NOT LONG AFTER ENGAGING THE START SWITCH FOR THE R ENG; I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND AGAIN NOTICED THE NOSEWHEEL OF THE ACFT WAS ALMOST ALIGNED WITH THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINES DELINEATING THE EDGE OF THE RAMP AREA; RATHER THAN THE CTRLINE OF THE TXWY. I IMMEDIATELY RELEASED THE START SWITCH AND ABORTED THE START AS I CALLED THIS DEV FROM THE CTRLINE TO THE GND CREW'S ATTN. THIS TIME NO EFFORT WAS MADE TO REPOS THE ACFT AND THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO SET BRAKES IN ORDER FOR THE TOW BAR TO BE DISCONNECTED. AFTER ENG START; I MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO THE GATE IN ORDER FOR MAINT TO INSPECT THE ACFT JUST TO BE CERTAIN THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO CONTACT BTWN THE JET AND THE CHAIN LINK FENCE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE GND CREW'S MGR; I WAS TOLD THAT THE GND CREW ESTIMATED OUR JET 'WAS WITHIN 6 FT OF THE FENCE ON PUSHBACK.' IT'S IMPORTANT TO CAREFULLY MONITOR THE GND CREW ON PUSHBACK. AT NIGHT; ALL FLT DECK LIGHTS SHOULD BE SELECTED TO A DARKENED POS TO MAXIMIZE VISIBILITY OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE. ALSO; I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT NO DUTIES BESIDES MONITORING THE PUSHBACK TAKE PLACE OFF THESE 2 GATES UNTIL THE GND CREW HAS POSITIONED THE ACFT IN A POS; SO THAT CONTACT WITH THE FENCE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. PERFORMING NO DUTIES ON PUSHBACK OTHER THAN MONITORING PUSHBACK WOULD ALSO ENTAIL DELAYING ENG START UNTIL WELL IN THE CLR AND AWAY FROM THE FENCE AREA.

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.