Narrative:

After pushback in oma, the ground crew told the captain they were having trouble getting the towbar off of the plane. I told ground that we were having trouble and would be on the ramp for a few mins. The ground crew moved the plane forward and backwards several times while attached to the towbar to try and get it free. After several attempts, the towbar apparently came free, but then the ground crew informed us that the towbar had impacted the nose tires and had potentially punctured them. They felt that we had better have a look at the tires to make sure. The pushback crew stated that we were going to need to return to the gate. At this point I thought, and I believe the captain also thought, that we were going to be towed back to the gate, even though our engines had been started. The nosewheel disconnect switch was in the off position. The captain acknowledged that we were to return to the gate and said would you like the brakes released. The pushback crew said, 'roger, release brakes.' at this point, the plane began to move forward while people were still under the plane as well as the towbar and tug. I told the captain we were drifting forward and to stop the plane. The captain stopped the plane before impacting any equipment or ground personnel. All ground personnel came into view with their arms crossed, indicating to stop. Then all ground personnel left the area and removed the tug and towbar without talking to us. At this point a pushback crew member gave us a salute and release from guidance which further confused us, because now we weren't sure if we were ok to take the plane or were to still return to the gate. We contacted operations to clarify what were their intentions. They said they were going to marshall us back to the gate and that contract maintenance had been called to come and inspect the tires.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 PUSHBACK CREW WAS UNABLE TO GET THE TOWBAR FREE OF THE NOSEWHEELS. IN ATTEMPTING TO FREE THE TOWBAR, IT MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE NOSE TIRES.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK IN OMA, THE GND CREW TOLD THE CAPT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE TOWBAR OFF OF THE PLANE. I TOLD GND THAT WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE AND WOULD BE ON THE RAMP FOR A FEW MINS. THE GND CREW MOVED THE PLANE FORWARD AND BACKWARDS SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ATTACHED TO THE TOWBAR TO TRY AND GET IT FREE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE TOWBAR APPARENTLY CAME FREE, BUT THEN THE GND CREW INFORMED US THAT THE TOWBAR HAD IMPACTED THE NOSE TIRES AND HAD POTENTIALLY PUNCTURED THEM. THEY FELT THAT WE HAD BETTER HAVE A LOOK AT THE TIRES TO MAKE SURE. THE PUSHBACK CREW STATED THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEED TO RETURN TO THE GATE. AT THIS POINT I THOUGHT, AND I BELIEVE THE CAPT ALSO THOUGHT, THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE, EVEN THOUGH OUR ENGS HAD BEEN STARTED. THE NOSEWHEEL DISCONNECT SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POS. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WERE TO RETURN TO THE GATE AND SAID WOULD YOU LIKE THE BRAKES RELEASED. THE PUSHBACK CREW SAID, 'ROGER, RELEASE BRAKES.' AT THIS POINT, THE PLANE BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE PEOPLE WERE STILL UNDER THE PLANE AS WELL AS THE TOWBAR AND TUG. I TOLD THE CAPT WE WERE DRIFTING FORWARD AND TO STOP THE PLANE. THE CAPT STOPPED THE PLANE BEFORE IMPACTING ANY EQUIP OR GND PERSONNEL. ALL GND PERSONNEL CAME INTO VIEW WITH THEIR ARMS CROSSED, INDICATING TO STOP. THEN ALL GND PERSONNEL LEFT THE AREA AND REMOVED THE TUG AND TOWBAR WITHOUT TALKING TO US. AT THIS POINT A PUSHBACK CREW MEMBER GAVE US A SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE WHICH FURTHER CONFUSED US, BECAUSE NOW WE WEREN'T SURE IF WE WERE OK TO TAKE THE PLANE OR WERE TO STILL RETURN TO THE GATE. WE CONTACTED OPS TO CLARIFY WHAT WERE THEIR INTENTIONS. THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO MARSHALL US BACK TO THE GATE AND THAT CONTRACT MAINT HAD BEEN CALLED TO COME AND INSPECT THE TIRES.

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.