AN ACR FO REPORTED CONCERN WITH HIS SAFETY DURING POST FLIGHT WALKAROUNDS WHEN THE AIRCRAFT MAY BE REPOSITIONED WITHOUT COORDINATING WITH THE FLT CREW.

Date: 2008-07

Anomalies: other-ramp-safety

Synopsis

AN ACR FO REPORTED CONCERN WITH HIS SAFETY DURING POST FLIGHT WALKAROUNDS WHEN THE AIRCRAFT MAY BE REPOSITIONED WITHOUT COORDINATING WITH THE FLT CREW.

Narrative

THERE'S A RISK OF RUNNING OVER A PLT WHO IS PERFORMING THE POSTFLT WALKAROUND FOR A TERMINATING FLT. USUALLY; WHEN AN ACFT TERMINATES AT A GATE AT NIGHT IT WILL BE PUSHED BACK TO A PARKING AREA. FREQUENTLY; IF WE ARRIVE WITH A LIGHT PAX LOAD; THE RAMP CREW WILL QUICKLY UNLOAD BAGS AND HOOK UP THE PUSHBACK TUG. THEY'RE USUALLY IN SUCH A HURRY TO EITHER FREE THE GATE OR GET HOME FOR THE NIGHT THAT THEY PAY LITTLE ATTN TO WHETHER THE FLT CREW HAS FINISHED THEIR TASKS SECURING THE ACFT. I DON'T WANT TO GET RUN OVER BY THE ACFT WHILE I'M DOING MY POSTFLT WALKAROUND. FOR INSTANCE; AT OUR TERMINATOR LAST NIGHT; I EXITED THE COCKPIT AND WALKED DOWN THE JETWAY STAIRS TO PERFORM THE POSTFLT WALKAROUND. THE ACFT WAS COMPLETELY CLOSED UP; THE PUSHBACK TUG WAS CONNECTED TO THE NOSEWHEEL; AND THE DRIVER HAD THE ENG STARTED FOR PUSHBACK. I TOLD HIM TO WAIT UNTIL I FINISHED THE WALKAROUND. I'M CONCERNED THAT HE MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN ME DOING THE WALKAROUND AND THERE'S A RISK OF GETTING RUN OVER BY A 'HURRYING' GND CREW. FINALLY; I ALSO FREQUENTLY ARRIVE BACK IN THE COCKPIT TO GATHER MY EQUIP; ONLY TO FIND THAT SOMEONE HAS ALREADY GRABBED ALL OF MY STUFF AND PLACED IN THE JETWAY (THE ACFT DOOR IS CLOSED; TOO). WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND LET THE FLT CREW GIVE THE 'OK' BEFORE THE GND CREW MOVES THE ACFT. GND CREWS SHOULD NOT PUSH BACK A TERMINATING ACFT UNTIL THE FLT CREW HAS GIVEN THE 'OK.' OUR PROC SHOULD BE SUCH THAT 1) CHOCKS ARE NEVER PULLED; AND 2) THE JETWAY IS NEVER MOVED FROM THE ACFT UNTIL BOTH FLT CREW MEMBERS ARE STANDING IN THE JETWAY TO PROVIDE THE 'OK.' THIS ASSURES THAT THE FO WON'T GET RUN OVER BY AN ACFT BEING PUSHED BACK; WHILE THE POSTFLT WALKAROUND IS BEING PERFORMED.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.