During pushback, the nose landing gear on an A320 was damaged.

Attributes
ACN	634698
Time
Date	200410
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	634698
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters : vehicle other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Told push crew to push for an east taxi. The push crew started to push for a west taxi. Confirmed with first officer, he agreed ramp wanted an east taxi. Push crew pulled us forward twice, however, nose of aircraft still was not in a position for an east taxi. During the second attempt for an east taxi the aircraft lurched sideways. Called push crew to see what was going on -- no answer. At this point the aircraft started rolling forward. The wing walker rushed to my side of the cockpit and gave me the hand signal to stop the aircraft from rolling. I used the toe brakes. I was not given the hand signal to set the parking brake. I held the toe brakes for 3-5 mins until maintenance got on the headset and told me to set the parking brake. We sat in the alleyway 25-30 mins until airport operations finished taking pictures. Maintenance checked the nose gear for damage, found none then had me taxi back to the gate. Maintenance grounded the aircraft. We changed planes and continued on to rno.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING PUSHBACK, THE NOSE LNDG GEAR ON AN A320 WAS DAMAGED.

Narrative: TOLD PUSH CREW TO PUSH FOR AN E TAXI. THE PUSH CREW STARTED TO PUSH FOR A W TAXI. CONFIRMED WITH FO, HE AGREED RAMP WANTED AN E TAXI. PUSH CREW PULLED US FORWARD TWICE, HOWEVER, NOSE OF ACFT STILL WAS NOT IN A POS FOR AN E TAXI. DURING THE SECOND ATTEMPT FOR AN E TAXI THE ACFT LURCHED SIDEWAYS. CALLED PUSH CREW TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON -- NO ANSWER. AT THIS POINT THE ACFT STARTED ROLLING FORWARD. THE WING WALKER RUSHED TO MY SIDE OF THE COCKPIT AND GAVE ME THE HAND SIGNAL TO STOP THE ACFT FROM ROLLING. I USED THE TOE BRAKES. I WAS NOT GIVEN THE HAND SIGNAL TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE. I HELD THE TOE BRAKES FOR 3-5 MINS UNTIL MAINT GOT ON THE HEADSET AND TOLD ME TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE. WE SAT IN THE ALLEYWAY 25-30 MINS UNTIL ARPT OPS FINISHED TAKING PICTURES. MAINT CHKED THE NOSE GEAR FOR DAMAGE, FOUND NONE THEN HAD ME TAXI BACK TO THE GATE. MAINT GROUNDED THE ACFT. WE CHANGED PLANES AND CONTINUED ON TO RNO.

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.