Incident Overview
On 5 June 2012, an incident occurred at Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport (EPGD) involving an Airbus A320 during pushback from a parking position. The towbar head was damaged when the aircraft moved forward after the towbar had been disconnected.
Sequence of Events
After pushback using a towbar-equipped tug, the assisting ground crew member disconnected the towbar from the aircraft. The aircraft then moved forward several dozen centimeters before stopping. The towbar head sustained damage.
Findings
The investigation determined that communication between the ground crew involved in the pushback and the flight crew was inadequate. As a result, the flight crew initiated engine start after the towbar had been disconnected but before the parking brake was engaged.
Cause
The cause of the incident was a ground handling error consisting of improper communication with the flight crew during pushback.