Widebody transport jet blast knocks over fueler.

Attributes
ACN	271460
Time
Date	199405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	L-1011 Tri-Star All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 167 flight time total : 15725 flight time type : 435
ASRS Report	271460
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	271473
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During taxi to runway 25 at lax, I overheard an air carrier B operator contact ground control and state that 1 of their personnel had been knocked to ramp by jet exhaust of our L-1011. We had just departed the ramp mins earlier after pushback from gate. Pushback was on to the inner taxiway facing east. Due to a very light aircraft weight, I decided that taxi on 1 engine would be acceptable. (This would save fuel and reduce pollution). I was also aware of company procedures cautioning against use of excessive thrust near the ramp areas. Lax ground control issued instructions for us to taxi via the outer taxiway to runway 25R, and also to give way to an aircraft that would be entering ramp via taxiway 36. Only a small increase above idle power was needed to commence taxi, which was initially straight ahead on the inner taxiway, then a 90 degree right turn on to taxiway 42 followed by a 90 degree left turn onto the outer taxiway. I never used more than minimal thrust during taxi. If minimal thrust of widebody transport aircraft poses a threat to ground personnel, then procedures should be changed as follows: 1) require use of all engines exiting ramp areas with all turns at idle thrust. 2) require special taxi route for widebody transport so that danger of jet exhaust be eliminated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB JET BLAST KNOCKS OVER FUELER.

Narrative: DURING TAXI TO RWY 25 AT LAX, I OVERHEARD AN ACR B OPERATOR CONTACT GND CTL AND STATE THAT 1 OF THEIR PERSONNEL HAD BEEN KNOCKED TO RAMP BY JET EXHAUST OF OUR L-1011. WE HAD JUST DEPARTED THE RAMP MINS EARLIER AFTER PUSHBACK FROM GATE. PUSHBACK WAS ON TO THE INNER TXWY FACING E. DUE TO A VERY LIGHT ACFT WT, I DECIDED THAT TAXI ON 1 ENG WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE. (THIS WOULD SAVE FUEL AND REDUCE POLLUTION). I WAS ALSO AWARE OF COMPANY PROCS CAUTIONING AGAINST USE OF EXCESSIVE THRUST NEAR THE RAMP AREAS. LAX GND CTL ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR US TO TAXI VIA THE OUTER TXWY TO RWY 25R, AND ALSO TO GIVE WAY TO AN ACFT THAT WOULD BE ENTERING RAMP VIA TXWY 36. ONLY A SMALL INCREASE ABOVE IDLE PWR WAS NEEDED TO COMMENCE TAXI, WHICH WAS INITIALLY STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE INNER TXWY, THEN A 90 DEG R TURN ON TO TXWY 42 FOLLOWED BY A 90 DEG L TURN ONTO THE OUTER TXWY. I NEVER USED MORE THAN MINIMAL THRUST DURING TAXI. IF MINIMAL THRUST OF WDB ACFT POSES A THREAT TO GND PERSONNEL, THEN PROCS SHOULD BE CHANGED AS FOLLOWS: 1) REQUIRE USE OF ALL ENGS EXITING RAMP AREAS WITH ALL TURNS AT IDLE THRUST. 2) REQUIRE SPECIAL TAXI RTE FOR WDB SO THAT DANGER OF JET EXHAUST BE ELIMINATED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.