An MD80's tug towing it to deice with idling engines exceeded the nose gear turn limit; after the no...

Attributes
ACN	771740
Time
Date	200801
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
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
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	771740
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

After pushback the tug pulled aircraft to the deicing area as the station does not like to have aircraft taxiing in that area if possible due to proximity to parking lot and ground equipment. The driver got the tug about 90 degrees off to the side at which point the nose tires lost traction and the driver failed to ask us to stop. Nose landing gear was damaged as a result of the tug going beyond the tow limits. We had elected to start both engines as the ramp did not look slippery in the immediate area of the gate and I did not want to have to attempt a crossbleed start after deicing; again due to the position of the deicing area. I felt it best to have the engine heat on both engines as the snow had just started. If the driver had stated 'brakes' as in our manual I could have stopped the airplane before damage occurred. This did not happen. I recommend that in the future this contractor; and perhaps all pushback crews have a mandatory briefing with the captain before pushing if they feel there could be slippery conditions so that both parties know what will be said if traction becomes an issue. It is not always possible for the flight crew to see what conditions are outside the immediate gate area and in this case the pulling to the deiced bay covers a lot of ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80'S TUG TOWING IT TO DEICE WITH IDLING ENGS EXCEEDED THE NOSE GEAR TURN LIMIT; AFTER THE NOSE TIRES LOST TRACTION WITH THE ACFT BRAKES RELEASED.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK THE TUG PULLED ACFT TO THE DEICING AREA AS THE STATION DOES NOT LIKE TO HAVE ACFT TAXIING IN THAT AREA IF POSSIBLE DUE TO PROX TO PARKING LOT AND GND EQUIP. THE DRIVER GOT THE TUG ABOUT 90 DEGS OFF TO THE SIDE AT WHICH POINT THE NOSE TIRES LOST TRACTION AND THE DRIVER FAILED TO ASK US TO STOP. NOSE LNDG GEAR WAS DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE TUG GOING BEYOND THE TOW LIMITS. WE HAD ELECTED TO START BOTH ENGS AS THE RAMP DID NOT LOOK SLIPPERY IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE GATE AND I DID NOT WANT TO HAVE TO ATTEMPT A CROSSBLEED START AFTER DEICING; AGAIN DUE TO THE POS OF THE DEICING AREA. I FELT IT BEST TO HAVE THE ENG HEAT ON BOTH ENGS AS THE SNOW HAD JUST STARTED. IF THE DRIVER HAD STATED 'BRAKES' AS IN OUR MANUAL I COULD HAVE STOPPED THE AIRPLANE BEFORE DAMAGE OCCURRED. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. I RECOMMEND THAT IN THE FUTURE THIS CONTRACTOR; AND PERHAPS ALL PUSHBACK CREWS HAVE A MANDATORY BRIEFING WITH THE CAPT BEFORE PUSHING IF THEY FEEL THERE COULD BE SLIPPERY CONDITIONS SO THAT BOTH PARTIES KNOW WHAT WILL BE SAID IF TRACTION BECOMES AN ISSUE. IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE FOR THE FLT CREW TO SEE WHAT CONDITIONS ARE OUTSIDE THE IMMEDIATE GATE AREA AND IN THIS CASE THE PULLING TO THE DEICED BAY COVERS A LOT OF GND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

An MD80's tug towing it to deice with idling engines exceeded the nose gear turn limit; after the nose tires lost traction with the aircraft brakes released.