Air carrier flight crew reported uncommanded aircraft movement after push back was completed resulting in contacting tug. Plane was towed back to gate.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported uncommanded aircraft movement after push back was completed resulting in contacting tug. Plane was towed back to gate.
Narrative
Push back out of gate XX in ZZZ. We ended up just shy of center line. We began rolling forward; which I believed to be the push crew making a minor correction to place us on center line. While rolling forward; the push crew called for us to Set Brakes." I immediately responded with; "Confirm set brakes; we are still moving." I did not receive a reply. I asked a second time to verify to set brakes; were moving. No reply. There was a lateral shimmy from down below near the nose gear. I gradually applied brake pressure not to damage the tow bar if we were still under tow. I asked what was going on and was told to standby. The tug and one ramp personnel appeared in my left side window with the steering lock out pin as if indicating a normal wave off. At this point I still had not received any comms from the call to set brakes and to standby. I noticed the windshield of the tug had been shattered. With hand motions; I gestured for the push crew to come back and reconnect on comms. After hearing them connect; I asked what had happened. I was told to "Standby." We initiated radio contact with the ramp to have maintenance come inspect the aircraft. The push crew reconnected comms and I also asked for them to have maintenance brought out to inspect. Maintenance came and informed us that the aircraft had made contact with the tug; shattering the windshield and damaging the left nose gear door. We then shut down and were towed into the gate. Visual inspection showed damage to the area of the nose gear door lock via a crack and other damage to the door. Cause: Break down in communication with the push back crew.Suggestions: More aggressive training to ramp push back crews. The importance of clear concise communications at the right time."
Second reporter narrative
We were pushed back out of spot XX at the ZZZ ramp. As we approached the center line we were slightly pointed off to the left. The aircraft slowed to stop momentarily. Then we started to slowly move forward; which i thought they were putting us on centerline. At that moment the ground crew said set brakes". The CA said " confirm set brakes; we are still moving". We got no reply from the ground crew. We noticed the aircraft starting to shimmy side to side and slowly picked up speed as well as starting to drift right of center line. The CA said again "confirm set brakes; we are still rolling." We still had no reply from the ground crew. At that point brakes were applied and set. We asked again what happened. After several seconds we were told to standby. About 10-20 seconds of silence the ground crew appeared on the CA's side and tried to pull away and even showed us the nose pin. CA waved them back over and told them to reconnect. Eventually they reconnected and told us the left nose gear door had made contact with the tug. We told them we need MX (Maintenance) to come take a look. We also called MX on the radio and told MX what had happened. After some time MX told us the NGD (Nose Gear Door) was damaged and the tug window was shattered. We shutdown and were towed back into the gate. We began the process of calling the Supervisor and submitting a report.Cause: Lack of communication from the pushback crew. It was like they froze.Suggestions: More training for the push back crews. Express significance of standard communication and contestant contact with the aircrew members. They are our eyes and ears on the ground."
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.