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An A320 was dispatched with known damage to the nose gear tow bar attach fittings and shear bolts. Vehicle driver assured crew no damage was present.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 653478 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200504 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 653478 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : unqualified personnel |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
As we were being pushed back from gate at ZZZ; the tug driver stated that his tug just died. Suddenly; there was a substantial jolt as the tow bar forcefully struck the nose gear. I asked what happened and he said the pin just sheared. I then asked if he would like me to stop the aircraft as we were still rolling slowly backward. He said yes; and I gently applied the brakes; came to a stop; and set the parking brake. I then asked him if there was any damage to the aircraft. He said no; no damage; and asked if he could disconnect. I again asked him if he was sure there was no damage to the aircraft; and he stated something on the order of; 'no sire; no damage.' I then cleared him to disconnect and we proceeded with our '1 engine after start' procedure as we had been starting the #1 engine during the pushback. We then conducted an uneventful flight to ZZZ1. During her postflt inspection of the aircraft; the first officer noticed substantial damage to the tow bar attachment point. I had been all but torn from the aircraft and I was surprised it hadn't fallen off during takeoff or landing. The damage was such that the subsequent flight with that aircraft had to be canceled until the broken piece cold be replaced.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 WAS DISPATCHED WITH KNOWN DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR TOW BAR ATTACH FITTINGS AND SHEAR BOLTS. VEHICLE DRIVER ASSURED CREW NO DAMAGE WAS PRESENT.
Narrative: AS WE WERE BEING PUSHED BACK FROM GATE AT ZZZ; THE TUG DRIVER STATED THAT HIS TUG JUST DIED. SUDDENLY; THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL JOLT AS THE TOW BAR FORCEFULLY STRUCK THE NOSE GEAR. I ASKED WHAT HAPPENED AND HE SAID THE PIN JUST SHEARED. I THEN ASKED IF HE WOULD LIKE ME TO STOP THE ACFT AS WE WERE STILL ROLLING SLOWLY BACKWARD. HE SAID YES; AND I GENTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES; CAME TO A STOP; AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. I THEN ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. HE SAID NO; NO DAMAGE; AND ASKED IF HE COULD DISCONNECT. I AGAIN ASKED HIM IF HE WAS SURE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT; AND HE STATED SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF; 'NO SIRE; NO DAMAGE.' I THEN CLRED HIM TO DISCONNECT AND WE PROCEEDED WITH OUR '1 ENG AFTER START' PROC AS WE HAD BEEN STARTING THE #1 ENG DURING THE PUSHBACK. WE THEN CONDUCTED AN UNEVENTFUL FLT TO ZZZ1. DURING HER POSTFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT; THE FO NOTICED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TOW BAR ATTACHMENT POINT. I HAD BEEN ALL BUT TORN FROM THE ACFT AND I WAS SURPRISED IT HADN'T FALLEN OFF DURING TKOF OR LNDG. THE DAMAGE WAS SUCH THAT THE SUBSEQUENT FLT WITH THAT ACFT HAD TO BE CANCELED UNTIL THE BROKEN PIECE COLD BE REPLACED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.