A tow bar breaks during pushback.

Attributes
ACN	535019
Time
Date	200201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 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
ASRS Report	535019
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 4
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

With the APU inoperative we started the left engine at the gate. The ground power equipment was disconnected and the pushback started. While being pushed back on a straight long section, we were cleared to start the right engine. Both engines were now on line and the throttles at ground idle. The tug driver pushed the aircraft back and turned us 90 degrees from the tug. The aircraft started to move forward slowly when the first officer noticed the wing walker was on his side close in showing the brake set signal. He called out 'set brakes' and brakes were set. Between the time the aircraft was starting to move forward and brakes set there was a 1-2 second microphone key from the tug with no voice transmission. After brake set, the tug driver said the tow bar had come off and then said it broke. I asked if everyone was alright and if there was any damage. It was reported that there was no damage and all was all ok. The tug driver then said that the supervisor wanted to see if we wanted a mechanic to check for damage. We said yes, and a mechanic checked us over and said there was no damage. After airborne, we contacted dispatch to relay the incident. A mechanic would meet us at destination and we could debrief him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TOW BAR BREAKS DURING PUSHBACK.

Narrative: WITH THE APU INOP WE STARTED THE L ENG AT THE GATE. THE GND PWR EQUIP WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE PUSHBACK STARTED. WHILE BEING PUSHED BACK ON A STRAIGHT LONG SECTION, WE WERE CLRED TO START THE R ENG. BOTH ENGS WERE NOW ON LINE AND THE THROTTLES AT GND IDLE. THE TUG DRIVER PUSHED THE ACFT BACK AND TURNED US 90 DEGS FROM THE TUG. THE ACFT STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD SLOWLY WHEN THE FO NOTICED THE WING WALKER WAS ON HIS SIDE CLOSE IN SHOWING THE BRAKE SET SIGNAL. HE CALLED OUT 'SET BRAKES' AND BRAKES WERE SET. BTWN THE TIME THE ACFT WAS STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD AND BRAKES SET THERE WAS A 1-2 SECOND MIKE KEY FROM THE TUG WITH NO VOICE XMISSION. AFTER BRAKE SET, THE TUG DRIVER SAID THE TOW BAR HAD COME OFF AND THEN SAID IT BROKE. I ASKED IF EVERYONE WAS ALRIGHT AND IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE. IT WAS RPTED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND ALL WAS ALL OK. THE TUG DRIVER THEN SAID THAT THE SUPVR WANTED TO SEE IF WE WANTED A MECH TO CHK FOR DAMAGE. WE SAID YES, AND A MECH CHKED US OVER AND SAID THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. AFTER AIRBORNE, WE CONTACTED DISPATCH TO RELAY THE INCIDENT. A MECH WOULD MEET US AT DEST AND WE COULD DEBRIEF HIM.

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.