Narrative:

All doors closed while sitting at the gate awaiting pushback with the parking brake set; ground crew was attaching the push bar. The aircraft lurched back very hard like we got hit. Ground crew said that while they were trying to position the tractor; they put the tug gear in reverse but the tracker rolled forward striking the tow bar. The impact damaged the aircraft by breaking the pushback shear pin on the nosewheel and broke the attach point between the tug and the tow bar. Also; as the bar swung hard away from the impact it struck a ramp person. The ramper appeared injured in that he was limping around the ramp; trying to walk off the pain; but denied any type of serious injury and remained at the aircraft. Maintenance came out and repaired the bolt and we proceeded without further incident.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 IS STRUCK BY TUG WHILE TOW BAR IS BEING CONNECTED; RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ACFT AND MINOR INJURY TO GND PERSONNEL.

Narrative: ALL DOORS CLOSED WHILE SITTING AT THE GATE AWAITING PUSHBACK WITH THE PARKING BRAKE SET; GND CREW WAS ATTACHING THE PUSH BAR. THE ACFT LURCHED BACK VERY HARD LIKE WE GOT HIT. GND CREW SAID THAT WHILE THEY WERE TRYING TO POS THE TRACTOR; THEY PUT THE TUG GEAR IN REVERSE BUT THE TRACKER ROLLED FORWARD STRIKING THE TOW BAR. THE IMPACT DAMAGED THE ACFT BY BREAKING THE PUSHBACK SHEAR PIN ON THE NOSEWHEEL AND BROKE THE ATTACH POINT BTWN THE TUG AND THE TOW BAR. ALSO; AS THE BAR SWUNG HARD AWAY FROM THE IMPACT IT STRUCK A RAMP PERSON. THE RAMPER APPEARED INJURED IN THAT HE WAS LIMPING AROUND THE RAMP; TRYING TO WALK OFF THE PAIN; BUT DENIED ANY TYPE OF SERIOUS INJURY AND REMAINED AT THE ACFT. MAINT CAME OUT AND REPAIRED THE BOLT AND WE PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.