2010-02 · NASA ASRS report 872927
A319 flight crew experienced a brake failure after pushback but prior to engine start. This resulted in the right main gear departing the ramp and sinking into soft earth. The crew ultimately returned to the gate after using engine thrust to get back on the ramp.
We were being pushed back for engine start. We had trouble with hearing the push back crew so we delayed the engine start until we had the brakes set. The crew unhooked the tow bar and we soon realized that the aircraft was slowly rolling backwards towards the edge of the ramp. We had no sense of movement and scratchy audio with the pushback crew. I tried to reset the parking brake while both of us were stepping on the brake pedals. I then reached up and turned on the yellow hydraulic pump. The aircraft came to a stop. We verified that the aircraft's right mains were on the grass. The ground crew attempted to pull the aircraft forward with no luck. I then asked them if it would help if we powered out; We started both engines and pulled forward; stopped and had the ground crew inspect the aircraft. They said that only the right mains excited the edge of the ramp. I then asked my First Officer to call operations and report the incident. I then called Dispatch and told them. At first we did not realize the severity of the incident and we taxied to be deiced. While being deiced I then called Maintenance Control to get them involved. At that time they advised to go back to the gate.During my preflight I checked the accumulator and noticed that the it was just at the bottom of the green band; and was satisfied with the pressure. During the incident we turned on the electric pump and brought pressure up which helped stop the aircraft. After we got back to the gate and shut the engines down we noticed that the accumulator was losing pressure quickly and had dropped out of the green band. We suspect a faulty brake accumulator.
We were pushed straight back from the gate toward the southwest edge of the uncontrolled ramp. The Captain had difficulty hearing the ground crew on the headset; so he elected to wait to start the engines until we were stopped and the ground crew was disconnected and clear of the aircraft. The Captain gave the ground crew the hand signal that he had set the parking brake. As the ground crew disconnected the tow bar; we began to roll backwards very slowly; almost imperceptibly. There was no sensation of movement. The Captain realized we were rolling backwards and tried cycling the brake off and on again while pressing on the brake pedals. I then realized the situation and pressed my brake pedals; however; nothing worked. At that point the Captain reached up and turned on the yellow hydraulic pump switch as I also felt a main gear seem to settle into the soft ground; bringing the aircraft to a gentle stop. The ground crew hooked up the headset and assessed our situation. The plan was for them to pull us forward with the tug out of the soft ground; however; the tow bar pin sheared. The Captain then asked if it would help if we started the engines and powered out. They said; 'Yes.' After the ground crew disconnected again we started both engines and taxied forward and onto the ramp. We immediately called operations to coordinate the push back crew to inspect our gear; and they said other than mud it appeared OK. The Captain asked me to call Operations and advise them more fully of the incident. We elected to continue to the deice pad; and discussed calling the Dispatcher and maintenance about this situation as soon as we stopped the aircraft in the deice pad. During the deicing process operations called to advise us to return to the gate for a thorough inspection of the gear and aircraft. Review in training each year that turning on the yellow electric pump quickly in this situation may prevent rolling of the edge of the ramp. It also may be helpful to turn on the yellow pump as a precautionary step in every pushback.
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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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