<< >> NASA ASRS Report 459310, December 1999

A B747-400 during towing became disconnected from the towbar and rolled forward striking the tractor and towbar incurring damage to the nose tires.

Attributes
ACN	459310
Time
Date	199912
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground other : towing
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Experience	maintenance technician : 20
ASRS Report	459310
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Experience	maintenance technician : 13
ASRS Report	459312
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other other anomaly
Consequence	faa : investigated other other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

At approximately XA50 on dec/xa/99, aircraft nose number xyz of air carrier was towed off at gate at ZZZ for dispatch to maintenance area. While under tow, the aircraft separated from the tractor and tow bar. This resulted in the aircraft striking the tractor damaging both nose tires. The tow bar became jammed under the nose gear and both tires were but beyond repair. The tow bar was cut in half with a torch so the tractor could be moved away from the aircraft. The gear was pinned with the downlock pin and it was determined that both wheel assemblies must be replaced. I proceeded to replace the wheel assemblies per air carrier maintenance manual procedures. In the rush to get the aircraft (xyz) off taxiway C and to air carrier maintenance area and clean up the area, I neglected to document the above mentioned maintenance action into our computerized maintenance records or wxx system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 DURING TOWING BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE TOWBAR AND ROLLED FORWARD STRIKING THE TRACTOR AND TOWBAR INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE NOSE TIRES.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA50 ON DEC/XA/99, ACFT NOSE NUMBER XYZ OF ACR WAS TOWED OFF AT GATE AT ZZZ FOR DISPATCH TO MAINT AREA. WHILE UNDER TOW, THE ACFT SEPARATED FROM THE TRACTOR AND TOW BAR. THIS RESULTED IN THE ACFT STRIKING THE TRACTOR DAMAGING BOTH NOSE TIRES. THE TOW BAR BECAME JAMMED UNDER THE NOSE GEAR AND BOTH TIRES WERE BUT BEYOND REPAIR. THE TOW BAR WAS CUT IN HALF WITH A TORCH SO THE TRACTOR COULD BE MOVED AWAY FROM THE ACFT. THE GEAR WAS PINNED WITH THE DOWNLOCK PIN AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH WHEEL ASSEMBLIES MUST BE REPLACED. I PROCEEDED TO REPLACE THE WHEEL ASSEMBLIES PER ACR MAINT MANUAL PROCS. IN THE RUSH TO GET THE ACFT (XYZ) OFF TXWY C AND TO ACR MAINT AREA AND CLEAN UP THE AREA, I NEGLECTED TO DOCUMENT THE ABOVE MENTIONED MAINT ACTION INTO OUR COMPUTERIZED MAINT RECORDS OR WXX SYS.

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.