Incident Summary
A pushback operation ended with the tug becoming lodged under the aircraft's fuselage, creating a significant hole and structural damage. The event occurred after the nose wheel contacted a patch of ice during the pushback procedure.
Sequence of Events
According to the captain, the initial phase of pushback proceeded normally. The first and second officers were completing the engine start check while the aircraft was being pushed back from the gate. The pushback came to an abrupt halt when the tug operator reported that the nose wheel encountered a patch of ice. As the operator applied the brakes to stop the tug, the aircraft began to slide forward. Unable to halt the movement, the tug driver jumped from the vehicle to avoid being caught between the tug and the aircraft.
Damage Details
The tug came to rest lodged under the fuselage. The impact created a 10-inch by 14-inch hole in the underside of the fuselage and broke two stringers. The extent of damage was limited to the described area, and no further details were provided about other potential impacts.