Narrative:

After pushback, mechanic released us and we received taxi clearance from ground control. A very sharp right turn was required to avoid other aircraft and ground equipment located at nearby gates. There was a considerable amount of residual snow and slush located on the ramp area. As the aircraft began the right turn, we could hear the snow crunching under the aircraft tires and I could tell it might be difficult to keep the aircraft moving as we continued the sharp right turn with very little forward momentum and the additional friction of the slush and snow to hinder us. As we continued the right turn, the aircraft slowed and appeared as though it might come to a complete stop. The captain added a little power to continue the momentum through the turn. I don't know how much power was added, as I was looking around to my right to continue to clear the area and find the traffic we were to follow. The aircraft didn't stop and we continued our taxi to the runway. Only later did we learn the additional power necessary to continue the turn was sufficient to blow over a fellow pilot doing a walkaround at an adjacent gate. To my knowledge he incurred no injuries. The gates involved in this situation are known by all to be very sensitive to excessive aircraft power requirements. Under conditions such as these, the airline should adopt a broader safety standard and require aircraft of this type to be pushed back parallel to terminal so a 135 degree turn from a standstill is not required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT TAXIING OUT OF RAMP AFTER PUSHBACK BLEW OVER FLC MEMBER DOING WALKAROUND PREFLT OF ADJACENT PARKED ACFT. MORE PWR WAS APPLIED THAN USUAL IN ORDER TO MAKE A SHARP TURN ON A SLUSHY ICY RAMP APRON.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK, MECH RELEASED US AND WE RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC FROM GND CTL. A VERY SHARP R TURN WAS REQUIRED TO AVOID OTHER ACFT AND GND EQUIP LOCATED AT NEARBY GATES. THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL SNOW AND SLUSH LOCATED ON THE RAMP AREA. AS THE ACFT BEGAN THE R TURN, WE COULD HEAR THE SNOW CRUNCHING UNDER THE ACFT TIRES AND I COULD TELL IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE ACFT MOVING AS WE CONTINUED THE SHARP R TURN WITH VERY LITTLE FORWARD MOMENTUM AND THE ADDITIONAL FRICTION OF THE SLUSH AND SNOW TO HINDER US. AS WE CONTINUED THE R TURN, THE ACFT SLOWED AND APPEARED AS THOUGH IT MIGHT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CAPT ADDED A LITTLE PWR TO CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM THROUGH THE TURN. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH PWR WAS ADDED, AS I WAS LOOKING AROUND TO MY R TO CONTINUE TO CLR THE AREA AND FIND THE TFC WE WERE TO FOLLOW. THE ACFT DIDN'T STOP AND WE CONTINUED OUR TAXI TO THE RWY. ONLY LATER DID WE LEARN THE ADDITIONAL PWR NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THE TURN WAS SUFFICIENT TO BLOW OVER A FELLOW PLT DOING A WALKAROUND AT AN ADJACENT GATE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE HE INCURRED NO INJURIES. THE GATES INVOLVED IN THIS SIT ARE KNOWN BY ALL TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO EXCESSIVE ACFT PWR REQUIREMENTS. UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH AS THESE, THE AIRLINE SHOULD ADOPT A BROADER SAFETY STANDARD AND REQUIRE ACFT OF THIS TYPE TO BE PUSHED BACK PARALLEL TO TERMINAL SO A 135 DEG TURN FROM A STANDSTILL IS NOT REQUIRED.

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.