During pushback of air carrier large transport tug brakes failed. When aircraft brakes applied to stop movement tug pivoted around tow bar striking aircraft.

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Attributes
ACN	96042
Time
Date	198810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	96042
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	95730
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While pushing back from gate at dfw and about at the proper time for the tug to stop the aircraft, the tug driver shouted over the intercom, 'set the brakes!' the captain applied (set) the brakes on the large transport. The tug was still hooked to the towbar which was still hooked to the nose wheel. The aircraft stopped. The tug had lost its brakes. Its inertia caused it to pivot around the nose wheel and hit the left side of the aircraft, making a big dent and a small hole in the underside of the aircraft fuselage about under the main cabin door. This was caused by a mechanical failure on the tug and there was absolutely nothing we as pilots could have done to prevent it. There were no human injuries. Supplemental information from acn 95819: we evacuated the passenger and the crew through the aft entry door/stairway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING PUSHBACK OF ACR LGT TUG BRAKES FAILED. WHEN ACFT BRAKES APPLIED TO STOP MOVEMENT TUG PIVOTED AROUND TOW BAR STRIKING ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE PUSHING BACK FROM GATE AT DFW AND ABOUT AT THE PROPER TIME FOR THE TUG TO STOP THE ACFT, THE TUG DRIVER SHOUTED OVER THE INTERCOM, 'SET THE BRAKES!' THE CAPT APPLIED (SET) THE BRAKES ON THE LGT. THE TUG WAS STILL HOOKED TO THE TOWBAR WHICH WAS STILL HOOKED TO THE NOSE WHEEL. THE ACFT STOPPED. THE TUG HAD LOST ITS BRAKES. ITS INERTIA CAUSED IT TO PIVOT AROUND THE NOSE WHEEL AND HIT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ACFT, MAKING A BIG DENT AND A SMALL HOLE IN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ACFT FUSELAGE ABOUT UNDER THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE ON THE TUG AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WE AS PLTS COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT. THERE WERE NO HUMAN INJURIES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 95819: WE EVACUATED THE PAX AND THE CREW THROUGH THE AFT ENTRY DOOR/STAIRWAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.