Incident Details
On February 12, 2016, a Boeing 767-300 aircraft was being pushed back from parking position 9 at Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA) using a Douglas TBL 180 tug. During the pushback, both tires on the aircraft's front landing gear scraped against the pavement, resulting in damage to the tires.
Cause
The investigation determined that the incident was caused by a loss of air pressure in the right front tire of the tug. Because the tug's tire was underinflated, the aircraft's nose landing gear was not lifted sufficiently high during towing, causing the wheels to rub against the airport surface. This friction led to the damage of the front landing gear tires.
Contributing Factor
Additionally, the investigation found that there was no documented procedure requiring workshop mechanics to check the pressure in tug wheels on a weekly basis, as per the manufacturer's recommendations.
Preventive Actions
In response to the incident, the operator immediately checked the air pressure in the tug's wheels. A new internal procedure was introduced to inspect the condition and pressure of tires on all tugs used by the Warsaw division. Information about the incident was also shared with other divisions to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences in the future.
The Polish State Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation issued no safety recommendations.