Captain of a B737-300 released brakes for taxi after pushback and ran over the tow bar resulting in ...

Attributes
ACN	364754
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7285 flight time type : 3745
ASRS Report	364754
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pushed back from gate in cleveland at XA46 on mar 1997. Started #2 engine followed by #1. Tow bar was disconnected. Pushback crew stayed in place. Accomplished after start checklist, called for taxi. Captain released brakes, we rolled forward. Tow bar went between tires. Scuffed nosewheel tire. Bent handle on tow bar. Tire was replaced for precautionary measures. No other damage to equipment, aircraft or crew. After tire change proceeded on scheduled flight. Pushback was short, slow start on both engines. Assumed crew had returned to gate and all clear. New procedure keeps push crew connected until second engine is started. We were used to crew always being clear by the time the second engine was started. We also did not get the thumbs up signal. With new procedure push crew is out of view while all engines are started. Before they would pull tug away and would come into view and give wave off before #2 engine was started, after start checklist completed and the call for taxi was initiated. Suggestion that after brakes are set they disconnect and clear, just as before. No need for them to stay there or put flags on poles on tugs so we catch or see something out there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B737-300 RELEASED BRAKES FOR TAXI AFTER PUSHBACK AND RAN OVER THE TOW BAR RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ONE OF THE NOSEWHEEL TIRES.

Narrative: PUSHED BACK FROM GATE IN CLEVELAND AT XA46 ON MAR 1997. STARTED #2 ENG FOLLOWED BY #1. TOW BAR WAS DISCONNECTED. PUSHBACK CREW STAYED IN PLACE. ACCOMPLISHED AFTER START CHKLIST, CALLED FOR TAXI. CAPT RELEASED BRAKES, WE ROLLED FORWARD. TOW BAR WENT BTWN TIRES. SCUFFED NOSEWHEEL TIRE. BENT HANDLE ON TOW BAR. TIRE WAS REPLACED FOR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. NO OTHER DAMAGE TO EQUIP, ACFT OR CREW. AFTER TIRE CHANGE PROCEEDED ON SCHEDULED FLT. PUSHBACK WAS SHORT, SLOW START ON BOTH ENGS. ASSUMED CREW HAD RETURNED TO GATE AND ALL CLR. NEW PROC KEEPS PUSH CREW CONNECTED UNTIL SECOND ENG IS STARTED. WE WERE USED TO CREW ALWAYS BEING CLR BY THE TIME THE SECOND ENG WAS STARTED. WE ALSO DID NOT GET THE THUMBS UP SIGNAL. WITH NEW PROC PUSH CREW IS OUT OF VIEW WHILE ALL ENGS ARE STARTED. BEFORE THEY WOULD PULL TUG AWAY AND WOULD COME INTO VIEW AND GIVE WAVE OFF BEFORE #2 ENG WAS STARTED, AFTER START CHKLIST COMPLETED AND THE CALL FOR TAXI WAS INITIATED. SUGGESTION THAT AFTER BRAKES ARE SET THEY DISCONNECT AND CLR, JUST AS BEFORE. NO NEED FOR THEM TO STAY THERE OR PUT FLAGS ON POLES ON TUGS SO WE CATCH OR SEE SOMETHING OUT THERE.

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.

Captain of a B737-300 released brakes for taxi after pushback and ran over the tow bar resulting in damage to one of the nosewheel tires.