Narrative:

I was the captain on flight from bos in jul/xa/08. At XA05 am; boston ground control cleared us to push after the 3RD aircraft passed behind us; an A320. I passed on the ATC clearance to push via headset to our tug driver and the tug driver cleared us to release the parking brake. With the parking brake released; ATC revised our push clearance and told us to 'hold the push.' I tried to tell the tug driver to 'hold the push' and could not contact them via the headset. I tried at least 5 times. When I looked down; I noticed that the tug driver had his headset off and was talking on a cell phone. I flashed the nose light several times in an attempt to get him to put the headset back on. When he did put his headset back on; I made it clear that he was not cleared to push due to a change in ATC clearance and that he needed to remain in contact with me since I was the one in contact with ground control and the ramp is under the control of boston ground control. The tug driver started to argue with me and then completed his phone call. When we are moving airplanes; we don't need ground crews making cell phone calls. When the parking brake is released and the airplane is ready to move; the tug driver needs to remain in contact with the captain and all attention should be on the safe movement of the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT LOST CONTACT WITH THE TUG DRIVER DURING PUSHBACK BECAUSE THE DRIVER HAD REMOVED HIS HEADSET AND WAS TALKING ON A CELL PHONE.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON FLT FROM BOS IN JUL/XA/08. AT XA05 AM; BOSTON GND CTL CLRED US TO PUSH AFTER THE 3RD ACFT PASSED BEHIND US; AN A320. I PASSED ON THE ATC CLRNC TO PUSH VIA HEADSET TO OUR TUG DRIVER AND THE TUG DRIVER CLRED US TO RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE. WITH THE PARKING BRAKE RELEASED; ATC REVISED OUR PUSH CLRNC AND TOLD US TO 'HOLD THE PUSH.' I TRIED TO TELL THE TUG DRIVER TO 'HOLD THE PUSH' AND COULD NOT CONTACT THEM VIA THE HEADSET. I TRIED AT LEAST 5 TIMES. WHEN I LOOKED DOWN; I NOTICED THAT THE TUG DRIVER HAD HIS HEADSET OFF AND WAS TALKING ON A CELL PHONE. I FLASHED THE NOSE LIGHT SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET HIM TO PUT THE HEADSET BACK ON. WHEN HE DID PUT HIS HEADSET BACK ON; I MADE IT CLR THAT HE WAS NOT CLRED TO PUSH DUE TO A CHANGE IN ATC CLRNC AND THAT HE NEEDED TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH ME SINCE I WAS THE ONE IN CONTACT WITH GND CTL AND THE RAMP IS UNDER THE CTL OF BOSTON GND CTL. THE TUG DRIVER STARTED TO ARGUE WITH ME AND THEN COMPLETED HIS PHONE CALL. WHEN WE ARE MOVING AIRPLANES; WE DON'T NEED GND CREWS MAKING CELL PHONE CALLS. WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED AND THE AIRPLANE IS READY TO MOVE; THE TUG DRIVER NEEDS TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH THE CAPT AND ALL ATTN SHOULD BE ON THE SAFE MOVEMENT OF THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.