Narrative:

We pushed back from the gate per SOP. I was instructed to set the brake; which I did. A short time later; I could hear a noise from the nose gear that sounded like the ramp person trying to get the tow bar disconnected. Next; he said that he had to push the aircraft back further. I asked if he was having trouble disconnecting. He answered in the affirmative. I released the brake on request; and we pushed a couple more ft. There was a brief pause after we stopped moving. I was about to ask if everything was ok. Suddenly; over the radio I was instructed; 'set brake; set brake; set brake!' in a very excited voice. I immediately set the brake and we stopped abruptly. As this was happening; I heard and felt something similar to the tow bar being disconnected. I didn't realize we had been rolling very slowly forward. I asked what happened. The ramp person said he had a problem with the tug. Then said we needed a maintenance inspection. I inquired as to why. I believe he said something about a brake. He was difficult to understand which I attributed to the stress of something having gone wrong and an accent. I was about to inquire more; but I saw the mechanic approaching the aircraft. He took a quick look at the strut and then walked over to our parking spot at the gate. The ramp person said we needed to pull back in. I asked if we would be towed or taxi. He said taxi; and somewhat abruptly disconnected. I instructed my first officer to call on the radio and confirm with maintenance that we were in a condition to taxi in to the gate. They replied in the affirmative. After parking; I went down on the ramp to assess the situation. I never spoke to the original gentleman doing the pushback. However; another guy was there that said he was called over to help. He explained that the original guy forgot to tell me to set the brake and we rolled forward over the tow bar. I could see the bar was damaged; and the nose strut had some scrapes on the lower portion. The mechanic had to check the strut for the level of damage. It was determined the strut had only superficial paint scratches and per SOP we were cleared with a new release to depart. At destination; I spoke by phone with maintenance. I also spoke in person with the ramp supervisor. Obviously; we had a breakdown in communications and SOP during pushback. I was never instructed to set the brake when he tried to disconnect the second time. After the initial problem; I would have preferred a better explanation of our situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW WHILE BEING PUSHED BACK FOR DEP HAS THE ACFT ROLL FORWARD; STRIKING THE TOW BAR. ACFT HAS SLIGHT DAMAGE; INSPECTED AND IS RELEASED FOR FLT.

Narrative: WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE PER SOP. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SET THE BRAKE; WHICH I DID. A SHORT TIME LATER; I COULD HEAR A NOISE FROM THE NOSE GEAR THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE RAMP PERSON TRYING TO GET THE TOW BAR DISCONNECTED. NEXT; HE SAID THAT HE HAD TO PUSH THE ACFT BACK FURTHER. I ASKED IF HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE DISCONNECTING. HE ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. I RELEASED THE BRAKE ON REQUEST; AND WE PUSHED A COUPLE MORE FT. THERE WAS A BRIEF PAUSE AFTER WE STOPPED MOVING. I WAS ABOUT TO ASK IF EVERYTHING WAS OK. SUDDENLY; OVER THE RADIO I WAS INSTRUCTED; 'SET BRAKE; SET BRAKE; SET BRAKE!' IN A VERY EXCITED VOICE. I IMMEDIATELY SET THE BRAKE AND WE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. AS THIS WAS HAPPENING; I HEARD AND FELT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE TOW BAR BEING DISCONNECTED. I DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD BEEN ROLLING VERY SLOWLY FORWARD. I ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. THE RAMP PERSON SAID HE HAD A PROB WITH THE TUG. THEN SAID WE NEEDED A MAINT INSPECTION. I INQUIRED AS TO WHY. I BELIEVE HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A BRAKE. HE WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHICH I ATTRIBUTED TO THE STRESS OF SOMETHING HAVING GONE WRONG AND AN ACCENT. I WAS ABOUT TO INQUIRE MORE; BUT I SAW THE MECH APCHING THE ACFT. HE TOOK A QUICK LOOK AT THE STRUT AND THEN WALKED OVER TO OUR PARKING SPOT AT THE GATE. THE RAMP PERSON SAID WE NEEDED TO PULL BACK IN. I ASKED IF WE WOULD BE TOWED OR TAXI. HE SAID TAXI; AND SOMEWHAT ABRUPTLY DISCONNECTED. I INSTRUCTED MY FO TO CALL ON THE RADIO AND CONFIRM WITH MAINT THAT WE WERE IN A CONDITION TO TAXI IN TO THE GATE. THEY REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AFTER PARKING; I WENT DOWN ON THE RAMP TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. I NEVER SPOKE TO THE ORIGINAL GENTLEMAN DOING THE PUSHBACK. HOWEVER; ANOTHER GUY WAS THERE THAT SAID HE WAS CALLED OVER TO HELP. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE ORIGINAL GUY FORGOT TO TELL ME TO SET THE BRAKE AND WE ROLLED FORWARD OVER THE TOW BAR. I COULD SEE THE BAR WAS DAMAGED; AND THE NOSE STRUT HAD SOME SCRAPES ON THE LOWER PORTION. THE MECH HAD TO CHK THE STRUT FOR THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE. IT WAS DETERMINED THE STRUT HAD ONLY SUPERFICIAL PAINT SCRATCHES AND PER SOP WE WERE CLRED WITH A NEW RELEASE TO DEPART. AT DEST; I SPOKE BY PHONE WITH MAINT. I ALSO SPOKE IN PERSON WITH THE RAMP SUPVR. OBVIOUSLY; WE HAD A BREAKDOWN IN COMS AND SOP DURING PUSHBACK. I WAS NEVER INSTRUCTED TO SET THE BRAKE WHEN HE TRIED TO DISCONNECT THE SECOND TIME. AFTER THE INITIAL PROB; I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A BETTER EXPLANATION OF OUR SITUATION.

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.