Air carrier flight crew reported receiving an incomplete Final Dangerous Goods document which was resolved after conferring with Dispatch. Subsequently the Flight was cleared to pushback from gate which resulted in a less severe Ground Conflict; which was resolved with the assistance of another tug crew.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported receiving an incomplete Final Dangerous Goods document which was resolved after conferring with Dispatch. Subsequently the Flight was cleared to pushback from gate which resulted in a less severe Ground Conflict; which was resolved with the assistance of another tug crew.
Narrative
I arrived at the gate at XX03Z because my [App] was crashing in Operations as I was unable to download my signed off release. I had to close the app out twice to finally have the signed flight plan downloaded. Upon arrival at the jet; I noticed a plan DG summary for aircraft batteries. I saw nothing about a human organ shipment as it stated on my [Flight] Release that we were a Medevac flight and ATC has been notified. I contacted Dispatch prior to arriving at the airport to see what we were carrying as a Medevac flight. It was a kidney. I believe it was about XX30Z; planned departure was XX40Z; that Ramp contacted me to say they were ready for brake release. I did receive the final DG summary for aircraft batteries; but nothing about the human organ shipment; so I asked them if they loaded a human organ shipment. They were not sure and that he will contact his Supervisor. At that time; I sent an ACARS message to load planning; with no response back on ACARS. We are now past scheduled departure time by 1 minute. I called Dispatch and he connected us to load planning who told us that a 'quickpack' of 4 lbs. was loaded in the aft cargo. Ramp verified that with me as well. All checklists were completed. We proceeded to push back per SOPs. My recommendation to this would be actual confirmation to the PIC (Pilot in Command) that shipment has been boarded when declared a Medevac flight.At XX48Z; (past scheduled departure) brakes were released; and command given to push to Spot XX using SOP push procedures. It seemed to me they pushed us to the Spot XY line; centering on that line and then proceeded to the XX line. They told me to set brakes when the aircraft was not on the XX line; but angled and pointed towards the XX Spot. I told them no; and to have the aircraft centered on the XX line and that there was an aircraft on XX Taxiway inbound for [Taxiway] XY who was going to be using the XC lane". They proceeded to attempt to center the aircraft on the taxilane; but we really never got on it. I suggested to them to pushback deep into the alleyway; but they started to and at the same time; the inbound aircraft was just abeam [Taxiway] XY and stopped as they saw our Ground Crew struggling. They started to turn our aircraft to the right and forward to get with the other aircraft abeam the gate. Our left Wingwalker remained at the nose of the aircraft and never returned to the left side. I told them to stop as I was worried that they were going to pull forward and not have the clearance with the other aircraft's tail without the Wingwalker. Another Ground Crew arrived at [Taxiway] XY to marshall in the inbound. Our crew pulled us up abeam XY; not centered on the line and told me to set brakes. I set the brakes as there was no safety concern at this point. The Tug Operator asked to disconnect. I said disconnect. I saw the tug and all wing walkers leave the area. We proceeded to start the #2 engine. Ran the after start checklist; contacted Ground Control and proceeded to complete the flight uneventfully. My mistake in this episode was forgetting to have them clear me for engine start before disconnecting."
Second reporter narrative
During departure from Gate XY; we completed the appropriate checklists and got clearance from Ground to push. The instructions were to push to Spot XX so that company; who were waiting on Taxiway XX; could pass us and park at the gate. We read back the clearance correctly; passed it on to the Ground Crew; and began the pushback. The Tug Driver initially pushed us onto the XY line; and the Captain reminded him the instructions were to push to XX. In an attempt to rectify the mistake; he pulled us straight over to XX without oversteering the aircraft to put us on the centerline; resulting in our nose being on Spot XX; but the tail of the aircraft diagonal in the alleyway blocking traffic. At this point the tug driver called for brakes so that he could disconnect; and we declined; stating that he needed to pull the aircraft fully onto the line to ensure appropriate clearance. He then attempted to push us back; intending to then pull us forward onto the line correctly. We were close to in position; but as we pushed back; the company traffic parking at XY saw we were clear and pulled down XY in order to park. We were clear initially; but due to the nose wheel angle as our tug reversed to pull us forward it resulted in a left turn toward the parking aircraft. During this time our left hand Wingwalker was standing on Spot XX; wand in the air; a significant distance in front of the aircraft. We foresaw a loss of safe wingtip clearance between us and the parking aircraft. We instructed the Tug Driver to stop pulling before the event worsened to an unacceptable level of safety. The Tug Driver informed us that their crew were the ones parking the inbound aircraft; and so they wouldn't be able to pull clear until we were disconnected; but we believed that further push operations would reduce safety further. Fortunately in the meantime another Ground Crew arrived and parked the inbound; clearing the way for us to be pulled safely to XX where a safe disconnect and handoff occurred.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.