Narrative:

We were parked at gate. The runway being used was runway 34L and runway 34R. I told ground we were cleared to push for runway 34. Shortly after we started to push back; we were told 'cleared to start.' as I was watching the #1 engine start; the ground asked us why we were pushing back with our tail south. By then we were past 45 degrees of turn so the only thing I could do was to apologize to the tower. About this time; they were bringing us to a stop; however; we were almost at taxiway B. Coming sbound on taxiway B was an air carrier Y A340. I told the pushback crew we had to push back towards the vehicle line rather than stop way out here. About the same time; ground control asked us why we were way out there and said we have to push towards the vehicle line. As we continued our pushback towards the ramp area; the air carrier Y came by us with about 5 ft wingtip clearance. I asked the pushback guy what was going on. I believe that language wa a definite problem with him. He appeared to speak only limited english! If I hadn't instructed him to continue back towards the ramp area; a very high probability of wingtip overlap would have occurred with a possibility of contact between the aircraft. Our ground personnel need to know and understand what the proper procedures for pushing from the gates that are right along the main taxiway! I realize that I need to be a little more aware of what the ground crew is doing while we are under towback/pushback. Unfortunately; you become very complacent that the crews know what they are doing -- especially when we are going backwards! In this case; I was unaware they were pushing me back to where we were a conflict with aircraft on taxiway B until it was too late to stop them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CAPT RPTS A PUSHBACK CREW WITH A LANGUAGE BARRIER DID NOT PUSH HIS ACFT FAR ENOUGH CAUSING A CONFLICT WITH AN A340.

Narrative: WE WERE PARKED AT GATE. THE RWY BEING USED WAS RWY 34L AND RWY 34R. I TOLD GND WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH FOR RWY 34. SHORTLY AFTER WE STARTED TO PUSH BACK; WE WERE TOLD 'CLRED TO START.' AS I WAS WATCHING THE #1 ENG START; THE GND ASKED US WHY WE WERE PUSHING BACK WITH OUR TAIL S. BY THEN WE WERE PAST 45 DEGS OF TURN SO THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WAS TO APOLOGIZE TO THE TWR. ABOUT THIS TIME; THEY WERE BRINGING US TO A STOP; HOWEVER; WE WERE ALMOST AT TXWY B. COMING SBOUND ON TXWY B WAS AN ACR Y A340. I TOLD THE PUSHBACK CREW WE HAD TO PUSH BACK TOWARDS THE VEHICLE LINE RATHER THAN STOP WAY OUT HERE. ABOUT THE SAME TIME; GND CTL ASKED US WHY WE WERE WAY OUT THERE AND SAID WE HAVE TO PUSH TOWARDS THE VEHICLE LINE. AS WE CONTINUED OUR PUSHBACK TOWARDS THE RAMP AREA; THE ACR Y CAME BY US WITH ABOUT 5 FT WINGTIP CLRNC. I ASKED THE PUSHBACK GUY WHAT WAS GOING ON. I BELIEVE THAT LANGUAGE WA A DEFINITE PROB WITH HIM. HE APPEARED TO SPEAK ONLY LIMITED ENGLISH! IF I HADN'T INSTRUCTED HIM TO CONTINUE BACK TOWARDS THE RAMP AREA; A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY OF WINGTIP OVERLAP WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WITH A POSSIBILITY OF CONTACT BTWN THE ACFT. OUR GND PERSONNEL NEED TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROPER PROCS FOR PUSHING FROM THE GATES THAT ARE RIGHT ALONG THE MAIN TXWY! I REALIZE THAT I NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE AWARE OF WHAT THE GND CREW IS DOING WHILE WE ARE UNDER TOWBACK/PUSHBACK. UNFORTUNATELY; YOU BECOME VERY COMPLACENT THAT THE CREWS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING -- ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE GOING BACKWARDS! IN THIS CASE; I WAS UNAWARE THEY WERE PUSHING ME BACK TO WHERE WE WERE A CONFLICT WITH ACFT ON TXWY B UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE TO STOP THEM.

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.