E140 experiences broken towbar on pushback.

Attributes
ACN	781941
Time
Date	200804
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 140 ER&LR
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
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	781941
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

During pushback we hear a loud clunk. Ground agent informed us that the tow bar had broken. The tow bar was disconnected. Having been pushed back sufficiently to proceed on engine power; we did so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E140 EXPERIENCES BROKEN TOWBAR ON PUSHBACK.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK WE HEAR A LOUD CLUNK. GND AGENT INFORMED US THAT THE TOW BAR HAD BROKEN. THE TOW BAR WAS DISCONNECTED. HAVING BEEN PUSHED BACK SUFFICIENTLY TO PROCEED ON ENG PWR; WE DID SO.

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.