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An A320 captain reports extreme language problems with the pushback tug driver, who attempted to push the airplane with brakes set even when told to stop.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 641108 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200412 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : msp.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 : 216 flight time total : 12392 flight time type : 1600 |
| ASRS Report | 641108 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters : vehicle other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nose gear other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Before pushback I was uncomfortable with the responses I was getting from the tug driver. She was an english as a second language person. She didn't seem to know the proper pushback ground to cockpit dialogue. Her language skills interfered with anything that was not normal. Because I was not comfortable, I told her 4 times that the brake was still set and she got annoyed with me telling her that. Finally she started pushing with the brakes still set! I told her several times to stop, but either language or inexperience got in the way and she tried pushing again. I finally convinced her to stop and called for a supervisor. She kept apologizing and trying to get me to push, but I deemed it so dangerous that I wanted a supervisor present. I don't want her punished, I want her educated and examined for the proper skills before we either kill, or maim someone, or damage an airplane.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 CAPT RPTS EXTREME LANGUAGE PROBS WITH THE PUSHBACK TUG DRIVER, WHO ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE AIRPLANE WITH BRAKES SET EVEN WHEN TOLD TO STOP.
Narrative: BEFORE PUSHBACK I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE RESPONSES I WAS GETTING FROM THE TUG DRIVER. SHE WAS AN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PERSON. SHE DIDN'T SEEM TO KNOW THE PROPER PUSHBACK GND TO COCKPIT DIALOGUE. HER LANGUAGE SKILLS INTERFERED WITH ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT NORMAL. BECAUSE I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE, I TOLD HER 4 TIMES THAT THE BRAKE WAS STILL SET AND SHE GOT ANNOYED WITH ME TELLING HER THAT. FINALLY SHE STARTED PUSHING WITH THE BRAKES STILL SET! I TOLD HER SEVERAL TIMES TO STOP, BUT EITHER LANGUAGE OR INEXPERIENCE GOT IN THE WAY AND SHE TRIED PUSHING AGAIN. I FINALLY CONVINCED HER TO STOP AND CALLED FOR A SUPVR. SHE KEPT APOLOGIZING AND TRYING TO GET ME TO PUSH, BUT I DEEMED IT SO DANGEROUS THAT I WANTED A SUPVR PRESENT. I DON'T WANT HER PUNISHED, I WANT HER EDUCATED AND EXAMINED FOR THE PROPER SKILLS BEFORE WE EITHER KILL, OR MAIM SOMEONE, OR DAMAGE AN AIRPLANE.
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.