2024-10 · NASA ASRS report 2171199
Air carrier flight crew reported the aircraft rolled backwards uncontrolled during push back due to the tug becoming disconnected after the crew released the brakes.
Ready for pushback; communication is established via headset between Captain and pushback crew. Captain asks tug driver if ready for brake release after before push checklist is complete. Tug driver confirms ready for brake release. Captain releases brakes and directs standby for push. First officer sends for silent push. As ramp is clearing us to push; aircraft starts rolling backwards before Captain relays 'brakes released; cleared to push' to ground crew. Tug driver announces 'break away'. Captain quickly applies brakes and stops uncontrolled roll backwards. Captain asks ground crew if everyone was ok. Tug driver says standby and was silent for approximately 1 minute. Crew cancels pushback clearance. There was no tow bar or shear pin breakage. The aircraft just started rolling backwards. Captain again asks for communication with tug driver. Tug driver responds he thought aircraft was captured but it was not. Captain asks if ready to reset parking brake. Tug driver confirms to set parking brake. Captain asked for clarification of pushback with tow bar or tow barless tug. Tug driver responded he was using the towbarless tug. Captain requested to communicate again when ready for pushback and brake release. Tug driver responded ready for brake release and pushback. Clearance to pushback was again obtained. Captain responds 'brakes released; cleared to push'. Tug driver repeats back clearance. However; flightdeck crew felt aircraft being slightly lifted just before pushback with brakes released. Earlier this year; flight ops issued guidance that when using the towbarless tug that parking brake remained set until capture. Once capture was complete; parking brake release would subsequently be coordinated. I'm not confident this procedure was followed by pushback crew. Captain asked for clarification on ramp towbarless procedure to tug driver; but his answer simply was he confirmed brake release and was commencing push. Pushback did occur without further incident. There was no incursion or damage due to breakaway.
Communication was established per company manual with Captain and ground crew. Ground crew stated they were ready for brake release and push back. Captain stated parking brake released; standby for push. I requested a silent push and received clearance to push from the ramp. As I reached up to turn on the beacon I heard the ground crew announce 'BREAKAWAY BREAKAWAY' (as it is acceptable for the FO to monitor the flight interphone per company manual. The Captain; then quickly depressed the brake pedals and stopped the aircraft. It is unknown if the headset failed or not but there was no other communication from flight deck to ground between the point where the Captain said parking brake released standby for push; and when the ground crew said breakaway. The Captain then re-established communication with ground crew and the tug driver said; 'I thought I had captured the aircraft; but I did not.' I would approximate that the aircraft moved only around 5 to 15 feet straight backwards on the push line. Once again the Captain asked if the ground crew was ready for parking brake release; to which the tug driver replied; 'ready for brake release and pushback.' The captain said the parking brake released; standby. After the breakaway incident; I canceled our push clearance with the ramp. I then called the ramp back for push and received clearance to push. The captain then told the ground crew; parking brake released cleared to push but at this point it felt like the aircraft was just now being captured. This was a towbarless tug and the aircraft needed to be captured before releasing the parking brake. The captain tried clarifying this to the tug driver but at no resolve. No incident or accident occurred.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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