Incident Overview
After completing pushback from the jetway, an airplane collided with a ground handling vehicle (tug) as the flight crew initiated taxi for departure. The incident occurred when the captain began moving the aircraft before the tug had been cleared from the airplane's path.
Sequence of Events
Following pushback, the ground crew communicated with the flight crew via intercom, informing them that the bypass pin had been removed and that the nosewheel steering was connected. The ground crewman concluded the conversation by stating, "You gentlemen have a nice trip, see you another day." After disconnecting the intercom, the captain started to taxi without first receiving a visual signal from the ground crew and before the tug was removed from the area. As a result, the airplane struck the top of the tug, causing damage to the lower right portion of the forward fuselage, specifically below the cockpit windows.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the ground crew had properly communicated the status of the bypass pin and steering, and had ended the intercom exchange with a standard farewell. The flight crew did not wait for the customary visual signal from ground personnel indicating that the area was clear, and the tug remained in the airplane's path at the time taxi began.