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B737 pushback was not being conducted with any precision. The captain became concerned and instructed the tug driver to correct course or stop to prevent damage to the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 744429 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200707 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| 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 : 270 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 744429 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Tug driver failed to stay on guide-in lines on pushback from gate. As soon as I saw that we were digressing excessively; I estimate 15 ft to the east of centerline; I instructed the tug driver to correct immediately or stop the aircraft. There is little room for error in that area. The rest of the pushback was uneventful except that the tug driver used non-standard calls for the disconnect. I had maintenance come out to inspect our left wing for any possible damage (there was none luckily) as I had almost no confidence in the pushback crew. The company needs to hire and train the ground personnel properly or it is going to continue to damage aircraft and endanger personnel and passenger and my crew. When will this be corrected?
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 PUSHBACK WAS NOT BEING CONDUCTED WITH ANY PRECISION. THE CAPT BECAME CONCERNED AND INSTRUCTED THE TUG DRIVER TO CORRECT COURSE OR STOP TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.
Narrative: TUG DRIVER FAILED TO STAY ON GUIDE-IN LINES ON PUSHBACK FROM GATE. AS SOON AS I SAW THAT WE WERE DIGRESSING EXCESSIVELY; I ESTIMATE 15 FT TO THE E OF CTRLINE; I INSTRUCTED THE TUG DRIVER TO CORRECT IMMEDIATELY OR STOP THE ACFT. THERE IS LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR IN THAT AREA. THE REST OF THE PUSHBACK WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT THAT THE TUG DRIVER USED NON-STANDARD CALLS FOR THE DISCONNECT. I HAD MAINT COME OUT TO INSPECT OUR L WING FOR ANY POSSIBLE DAMAGE (THERE WAS NONE LUCKILY) AS I HAD ALMOST NO CONFIDENCE IN THE PUSHBACK CREW. THE COMPANY NEEDS TO HIRE AND TRAIN THE GND PERSONNEL PROPERLY OR IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DAMAGE ACFT AND ENDANGER PERSONNEL AND PAX AND MY CREW. WHEN WILL THIS BE CORRECTED?
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.