Narrative:

After a normal preflight on a turn through ZZZ; we accomplished the pushback checklist; and I requested and got clearance to push tail north from ZZZ ramp tower. Captain relayed information to push person in tug. I was only monitoring ATC and did not have flight interphone selected. As we were pushing back; I said to the captain that it seemed like we were going much faster than usual on a pushback. At the same time he quickly applied the brakes and stopped the airplane. He said the tug operator was screaming at the top of his lungs to stop the airplane. The captain made a PA and called on the service interphone to the flight attendants to ensure no one was hurt by the abrupt stop. The tug operator said he had not secured the towbar properly onto the nose gear; and that it had become separated. Maintenance was watching from their shed; came out immediately; and did a thorough inspection of the nose gear coordinating rudder and tiller movement with the captain. No abnormalities were noted. Supplemental information from acn 810409: pushback started normally until the tug driver instructed me to stop! I did; he told me that he had forgotten to put the 'pin' in place. Maintenance checked the front gear and clear us to continue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 CREW REPORTS TOW BAR SEPARATING FROM TUG DURING PUSHBACK DUE TO PIN NOT BEING INSTALLED BY DRIVER. AIRCRAFT IS STOPPED WITHOUT DAMAGE.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL PREFLT ON A TURN THROUGH ZZZ; WE ACCOMPLISHED THE PUSHBACK CHKLIST; AND I REQUESTED AND GOT CLRNC TO PUSH TAIL N FROM ZZZ RAMP TWR. CAPT RELAYED INFO TO PUSH PERSON IN TUG. I WAS ONLY MONITORING ATC AND DID NOT HAVE FLT INTERPHONE SELECTED. AS WE WERE PUSHING BACK; I SAID TO THE CAPT THAT IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE GOING MUCH FASTER THAN USUAL ON A PUSHBACK. AT THE SAME TIME HE QUICKLY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND STOPPED THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THE TUG OPERATOR WAS SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS TO STOP THE AIRPLANE. THE CAPT MADE A PA AND CALLED ON THE SVC INTERPHONE TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO ENSURE NO ONE WAS HURT BY THE ABRUPT STOP. THE TUG OPERATOR SAID HE HAD NOT SECURED THE TOWBAR PROPERLY ONTO THE NOSE GEAR; AND THAT IT HAD BECOME SEPARATED. MAINT WAS WATCHING FROM THEIR SHED; CAME OUT IMMEDIATELY; AND DID A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE NOSE GEAR COORDINATING RUDDER AND TILLER MOVEMENT WITH THE CAPT. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 810409: PUSHBACK STARTED NORMALLY UNTIL THE TUG DRIVER INSTRUCTED ME TO STOP! I DID; HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO PUT THE 'PIN' IN PLACE. MAINT CHKED THE FRONT GEAR AND CLR US TO CONTINUE.

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.