Narrative:

After the passenger door was closed, the gate agent attempted to move the jetway back. We (the cockpit crew) were occupied with checklists and obtaining clearance to push from the gate. I don't know whether the jetway was moved any or not. The jetway driver attracted my attention and said that the jetway was stalled and could not be moved. He then engaged in a conversation with the headset operator (the person who communicates with me from the ground during pushback) and others, including the push tug driver. He said that the jetway was clear of the aircraft and that the aircraft could be pushed straight back without contacting the jetway. The person on the headset then came on and stated the same thing. I asked both individuals to confirm again that the jetway was not touching the aircraft and that the aircraft could be pushed straight back without contacting the jetway. They both again stated this to be true. I stated that if we were clear and could be pushed back without contacting the jetway, they were clear to push us back. They started to push us back but stopped after 15-20 ft. The headset person informed me that the left angle of attack vane had contacted the jetway and had been bent. Human conditions: the flight was late and everyone was in a hurry to get the flight on its way. Correction: patience, and a personal resolve not to move the aircraft unless I can see all of the jetway is clear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT CONTACTS JETWAY DURING PUSHBACK FROM GATE AT EWR.

Narrative: AFTER THE PAX DOOR WAS CLOSED, THE GATE AGENT ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE JETWAY BACK. WE (THE COCKPIT CREW) WERE OCCUPIED WITH CHKLISTS AND OBTAINING CLRNC TO PUSH FROM THE GATE. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE JETWAY WAS MOVED ANY OR NOT. THE JETWAY DRIVER ATTRACTED MY ATTN AND SAID THAT THE JETWAY WAS STALLED AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. HE THEN ENGAGED IN A CONVERSATION WITH THE HEADSET OPERATOR (THE PERSON WHO COMMUNICATES WITH ME FROM THE GND DURING PUSHBACK) AND OTHERS, INCLUDING THE PUSH TUG DRIVER. HE SAID THAT THE JETWAY WAS CLR OF THE ACFT AND THAT THE ACFT COULD BE PUSHED STRAIGHT BACK WITHOUT CONTACTING THE JETWAY. THE PERSON ON THE HEADSET THEN CAME ON AND STATED THE SAME THING. I ASKED BOTH INDIVIDUALS TO CONFIRM AGAIN THAT THE JETWAY WAS NOT TOUCHING THE ACFT AND THAT THE ACFT COULD BE PUSHED STRAIGHT BACK WITHOUT CONTACTING THE JETWAY. THEY BOTH AGAIN STATED THIS TO BE TRUE. I STATED THAT IF WE WERE CLR AND COULD BE PUSHED BACK WITHOUT CONTACTING THE JETWAY, THEY WERE CLR TO PUSH US BACK. THEY STARTED TO PUSH US BACK BUT STOPPED AFTER 15-20 FT. THE HEADSET PERSON INFORMED ME THAT THE L ANGLE OF ATTACK VANE HAD CONTACTED THE JETWAY AND HAD BEEN BENT. HUMAN CONDITIONS: THE FLT WAS LATE AND EVERYONE WAS IN A HURRY TO GET THE FLT ON ITS WAY. CORRECTION: PATIENCE, AND A PERSONAL RESOLVE NOT TO MOVE THE ACFT UNLESS I CAN SEE ALL OF THE JETWAY IS CLR.

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.