A B767-300 WAS PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE AT LAX WITH THE TUG DRIVER USING NONSTANDARD PROCS; RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ACFT NOSE TIRE.

Narrative

DURING PUSHBACK FROM GATE IN LAX; AFTER WE SET THE BRAKES WHILE STARTING ENGS; THE OPERATOR OF THE TUG WAS HAVING TROUBLE REMOVING THE TOW BAR. WITH LOTS OF HAMMERING AND BANGING AND LOUD NOISES ALONG WITH PUSHING AND PULLING OF THE ACFT WHILE THE BRAKES WERE SET; IT APPEARED ABNORMAL TO THE POINT WE MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT TELLING THE PAX ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH ALL THAT NOISE AND LOUD BANGS GOING ON. I ASKED THE PUSH TUG DRIVER IF HE WAS OK. HE SAID YES; BUT PLEASE RELEASE THE BRAKES SO I CAN PUSH BACK LITTLE BIT TO REMOVE THE TOW BAR. I QUESTIONED HIM AGAIN; 'DO YOU WANT ME TO RELEASE THE BRAKES?' HE SAID 'YES; PLEASE.' SO WE DID. IT SEEMED THAT HE WAS PUSHING US BACK A FT OR TWO; THEN ALL WENT QUIET AND THE ACFT STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD. THINKING THAT WE WERE BEING PULLED FORWARD; ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS THE FO SAID 'STOP.' I IMMEDIATELY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND LOOKED TO MY L AND THERE WAS THE WING WALKER RUNNING AWAY FROM THE ACFT WITH HIS 'X' SIGN TO STOP; AND THE TUG 90 DEGS POINTING S ON TXWY C WHILE THE ACFT ROLLING IN AN ANGLE EBOUND ON TXWY C ON ITS OWN -- WOW! I KEPT CALLING HIM ON THE HEADSET TILL HE FINALLY SHOWED UP AND I ASKED HIM IF WAS OK. HE SAID YES; AND THE TOW BAR WAS DISCONNECTED; ETC. I SAID 'NO; NO; KEEP THE HEADSET ON; I NEED THE MECH TO COME AND LOOK AT THE NOSE GEAR...WITH ALL THAT HAMMERING AND CHK THINGS OUT.' THE GND CTLR WAS NOTIFIED IF THEY NEEDED THE TXWY. THEY SAID 'IT'S OK; IT'S NOT A HIGH TFC HR NOW.' NOW NOT KNOWING THAT THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED AND THE HEADSET CORD WAS UNDER THE WHEEL; TILL THE MECH CAME AND TALKED TO ME ON THE HEADSET AND HE SAID HE IS WAITING FOR HIS SUPVR TO HAVE A SECOND OPINION ON THE DAMAGE OF THE TIRE. I SAID 'HERE IS THE SECOND OPINION FOR YOU...WE NEED TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE.' THE RAMPER SHOULD NEVER EVER DROP THE HEADSET; ESPECIALLY SINCE THE LAST THING HE SAID TO US; 'RELEASE THE BRAKES.' ALL HE HAD TO SAY IS 'STOP.'