A B757's towbar broke on pushback but the ground crew did not communicate with the flight crew. The ...

Attributes
ACN	776132
Time
Date	200802
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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	776132
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During pushback; we were unaware when the towbar broke. I commented to the first officer; 'where is he taking us now;' as we were off the yellow line and 'coasting' back towards the terminal. I repeatedly asked via intercom; 'where are you taking us;' with no reply. Then I noticed at my 4-5 O'clock position; the tug. I applied brakes and stopped the aircraft; before we rolled the left engine into the tug. The wing walker never gave me instructions to stop and apply brakes. My pushback crew finally told me to shut down the engines. It appears everyone below was too stunned to communicate! This was uneventful. Surprisingly; no one was injured; and there was no damage to the aircraft. Maintenance came out and inspected the nose gear area. Maintenance wanted us to make an information to maintenance entry; and a corresponding entry with his name and employee number. This was unacceptable. We lowered the logbook down and back up with appropriate logbook write-up corresponding signoff by maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757'S TOWBAR BROKE ON PUSHBACK BUT THE GND CREW DID NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE FLT CREW. THE CAPT SENSED SOMETHING WRONG AND APPLIED BRAKES.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK; WE WERE UNAWARE WHEN THE TOWBAR BROKE. I COMMENTED TO THE FO; 'WHERE IS HE TAKING US NOW;' AS WE WERE OFF THE YELLOW LINE AND 'COASTING' BACK TOWARDS THE TERMINAL. I REPEATEDLY ASKED VIA INTERCOM; 'WHERE ARE YOU TAKING US;' WITH NO REPLY. THEN I NOTICED AT MY 4-5 O'CLOCK POS; THE TUG. I APPLIED BRAKES AND STOPPED THE ACFT; BEFORE WE ROLLED THE L ENG INTO THE TUG. THE WING WALKER NEVER GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO STOP AND APPLY BRAKES. MY PUSHBACK CREW FINALLY TOLD ME TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGS. IT APPEARS EVERYONE BELOW WAS TOO STUNNED TO COMMUNICATE! THIS WAS UNEVENTFUL. SURPRISINGLY; NO ONE WAS INJURED; AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. MAINT CAME OUT AND INSPECTED THE NOSE GEAR AREA. MAINT WANTED US TO MAKE AN INFO TO MAINT ENTRY; AND A CORRESPONDING ENTRY WITH HIS NAME AND EMPLOYEE NUMBER. THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE. WE LOWERED THE LOGBOOK DOWN AND BACK UP WITH APPROPRIATE LOGBOOK WRITE-UP CORRESPONDING SIGNOFF BY MAINT.

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.

A B757's towbar broke on pushback but the ground crew did not communicate with the flight crew. The captain sensed something wrong and applied brakes.