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2 technicians report during pushback the type of tractor being used caused 2 knocking noises while in a turn. No damage incurred.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 701128 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200606 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mgw.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : pushback |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| ASRS Report | 701128 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| ASRS Report | 701127 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe ground encounters : vehicle other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : inspection |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
On jun/mon/06 about XA00; my partner and I were instructed to taxi air carrier X from spot X to the gate. It was my turn to taxi; so I performed the pre-taxi walkaround while my partner went to the cockpit. I found no defects; our ground crew arrived shortly thereafter. They were using the tow tractor. Pushback was normal until we heard 2 knocking noises about 30 seconds apart while in a turn. After the pushback was complete; I asked the tractor driver if he heard a noise. He said 'yes; it is normal for this aircraft using this tractor; because of the angle of the nose gear and how the tractor compensates with a ratcheting mechanism.' we taxied to the gate with no problems. We performed the post taxi walkaround paying more attention to the nose gear and we found no visible damage or defect. We recommend more training with the tow tractor so that we know what characteristics to expect; and/or noises to expect.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: 2 TECHNICIANS RPT DURING PUSHBACK THE TYPE OF TRACTOR BEING USED CAUSED 2 KNOCKING NOISES WHILE IN A TURN. NO DAMAGE INCURRED.
Narrative: ON JUN/MON/06 ABOUT XA00; MY PARTNER AND I WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI ACR X FROM SPOT X TO THE GATE. IT WAS MY TURN TO TAXI; SO I PERFORMED THE PRE-TAXI WALKAROUND WHILE MY PARTNER WENT TO THE COCKPIT. I FOUND NO DEFECTS; OUR GND CREW ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THEY WERE USING THE TOW TRACTOR. PUSHBACK WAS NORMAL UNTIL WE HEARD 2 KNOCKING NOISES ABOUT 30 SECONDS APART WHILE IN A TURN. AFTER THE PUSHBACK WAS COMPLETE; I ASKED THE TRACTOR DRIVER IF HE HEARD A NOISE. HE SAID 'YES; IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS ACFT USING THIS TRACTOR; BECAUSE OF THE ANGLE OF THE NOSE GEAR AND HOW THE TRACTOR COMPENSATES WITH A RATCHETING MECHANISM.' WE TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH NO PROBS. WE PERFORMED THE POST TAXI WALKAROUND PAYING MORE ATTN TO THE NOSE GEAR AND WE FOUND NO VISIBLE DAMAGE OR DEFECT. WE RECOMMEND MORE TRAINING WITH THE TOW TRACTOR SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT CHARACTERISTICS TO EXPECT; AND/OR NOISES TO EXPECT.
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.