The hood of a tug is blown off the tug and struck a ground worker near a taxiway at mem, tn.

Attributes
ACN	414964
Time
Date	199809
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	414964
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing east on taxiway V in mem to V2 and to hold short of runway 27, we were cleared across runway 27 at V2 to taxiway B, hold short of taxiway south. We were informed at approximately XA40 from flight safety officer that during our turn to V2 to cross runway 27, the hood of a nearby tug came to strike a ground worker on the base of the head. He told us that the tail swept the gates and the crew of other aircraft said that there was no significant jetblast to even vibrate/shake the aircraft they were sitting in. We were told by ramp supervisor by telephone at XA43 that the latch wasn't down and it seems the air from the engines lifted the hood to strike the person. We were later informed the person struck was treated and released by the hospital. Note: upon personal inspection of 27 tugs, only 3 had all latches latched. 5 out of those 27 tugs had the top bar latch latched.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE HOOD OF A TUG IS BLOWN OFF THE TUG AND STRUCK A GND WORKER NEAR A TXWY AT MEM, TN.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING E ON TXWY V IN MEM TO V2 AND TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 27, WE WERE CLRED ACROSS RWY 27 AT V2 TO TXWY B, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY S. WE WERE INFORMED AT APPROX XA40 FROM FLT SAFETY OFFICER THAT DURING OUR TURN TO V2 TO CROSS RWY 27, THE HOOD OF A NEARBY TUG CAME TO STRIKE A GND WORKER ON THE BASE OF THE HEAD. HE TOLD US THAT THE TAIL SWEPT THE GATES AND THE CREW OF OTHER ACFT SAID THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT JETBLAST TO EVEN VIBRATE/SHAKE THE ACFT THEY WERE SITTING IN. WE WERE TOLD BY RAMP SUPVR BY TELEPHONE AT XA43 THAT THE LATCH WASN'T DOWN AND IT SEEMS THE AIR FROM THE ENGS LIFTED THE HOOD TO STRIKE THE PERSON. WE WERE LATER INFORMED THE PERSON STRUCK WAS TREATED AND RELEASED BY THE HOSPITAL. NOTE: UPON PERSONAL INSPECTION OF 27 TUGS, ONLY 3 HAD ALL LATCHES LATCHED. 5 OUT OF THOSE 27 TUGS HAD THE TOP BAR LATCH LATCHED.

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.