A DC9 PIC sets the parking brake too soon during pushback and the tow bar damages a front nosewheel.

Attributes
ACN	438334
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15200 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	438334
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was being pushed back from gate. After what seemed to be the completion of pushback, and upon hearing request and anticipating 'set parking brakes' from the driver, captain began to set parking brakes. Aircraft apparently still had some movement, and tow bar slipped causing minor damage to nosewheel. Subsequently learned that the operator had cleared us for engine start. Aircraft was towed back to gate where nosewheel was replaced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 PIC SETS THE PARKING BRAKE TOO SOON DURING PUSHBACK AND THE TOW BAR DAMAGES A FRONT NOSEWHEEL.

Narrative: ACFT WAS BEING PUSHED BACK FROM GATE. AFTER WHAT SEEMED TO BE THE COMPLETION OF PUSHBACK, AND UPON HEARING REQUEST AND ANTICIPATING 'SET PARKING BRAKES' FROM THE DRIVER, CAPT BEGAN TO SET PARKING BRAKES. ACFT APPARENTLY STILL HAD SOME MOVEMENT, AND TOW BAR SLIPPED CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO NOSEWHEEL. SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT THE OPERATOR HAD CLRED US FOR ENG START. ACFT WAS TOWED BACK TO GATE WHERE NOSEWHEEL WAS REPLACED.

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.