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A DC9 pushes back from the gate at pit. Flight crew is unable to start the last engine. As aircraft waits at position, an unmanned tug rolls into the aircraft causing some damage to the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 415619 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pit |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 415619 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 9000 |
| ASRS Report | 415367 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Pushed back from the gate. During pushback, started left engine. Right engine failed to start. Instructed ground crew not to disconnect because we may need a pull back to the gate. Was addressing the problem with the right engine and as I looked up, the tug was coming at us. The captain slammed the brakes on but we weren't moving. The tug crashed into the radome causing damage. I believe what caused this problem is the failure of the ground crew to properly park the tug. I think what can prevent this problem from happening again would be if the driver of the tug gets off the vehicle he/she should chock the vehicle. Supplemental information from acn 415367: the ground man said 'ok.' I looked up to see the tug rolling toward us. The tug did in fact impact and cause damage to the lower nose cone before someone jumped in it and got it stopped.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC9 PUSHES BACK FROM THE GATE AT PIT. FLC IS UNABLE TO START THE LAST ENG. AS ACFT WAITS AT POS, AN UNMANNED TUG ROLLS INTO THE ACFT CAUSING SOME DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.
Narrative: PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE. DURING PUSHBACK, STARTED L ENG. R ENG FAILED TO START. INSTRUCTED GND CREW NOT TO DISCONNECT BECAUSE WE MAY NEED A PULL BACK TO THE GATE. WAS ADDRESSING THE PROB WITH THE R ENG AND AS I LOOKED UP, THE TUG WAS COMING AT US. THE CAPT SLAMMED THE BRAKES ON BUT WE WEREN'T MOVING. THE TUG CRASHED INTO THE RADOME CAUSING DAMAGE. I BELIEVE WHAT CAUSED THIS PROB IS THE FAILURE OF THE GND CREW TO PROPERLY PARK THE TUG. I THINK WHAT CAN PREVENT THIS PROB FROM HAPPENING AGAIN WOULD BE IF THE DRIVER OF THE TUG GETS OFF THE VEHICLE HE/SHE SHOULD CHOCK THE VEHICLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 415367: THE GND MAN SAID 'OK.' I LOOKED UP TO SEE THE TUG ROLLING TOWARD US. THE TUG DID IN FACT IMPACT AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE LOWER NOSE CONE BEFORE SOMEONE JUMPED IN IT AND GOT IT STOPPED.
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.