B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Gate; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Evacuated
Weather; Company Policy
Taxied out to runway. There were thunderstorms in area. Tower informed us departures were stopped. A few minutes later Tower informed all aircraft on frequency of a Tornado Warning approximately 10 miles from our airport; and the cell was headed our way. I contacted Operations to get a gate to come back to get Passengers off aircraft. He told me to come back to Gate X. Taxied back in; was told no one could marshal us in due to lightning in the area. I was getting ready to do it on my own due to emergency nature; when some Ramp Agent realized the gravity of the situation and marshaled us in from near the building. I called Operations and told them we needed a jetway driver asap to get the people off the aircraft. He informed me he could not contact anyone due to the terminal being evacuated by the airport authority. I reminded him that we are 'part of that evacuation and needed help. Get anyone; Agents; Maintenance; or Ramp Personnel he could find to get our Passengers off the aircraft and into the building'. My Crew and I were discussing our options when about five minutes later two guys (unsure if they were Ramp or Maintenance); ran up from the ramp and moved the jetway to the aircraft. It took them a while to figure it out; it looked as if they had not done this before. We opened the door; thanked them; and evacuated the Passengers into the terminal where they were moved into safe locations. There are several lessons I think we need to look at. The first is that in areas such as this; with severe weather potential; we should have automatic gate parking systems. It happens often when the ramp is closed that we cannot get to the gate. And this time was a critical situation. Second; we need to have more people qualified to operate the jet bridges. I am not sure who all is qualified as far as Ground Personnel; but I would think at a minimum; all Maintenance Personnel and Ramp Supervisors should be qualified; so in case of critical situations like we had; we could get some help. We had Passengers; a Jumpseater; and five Crew Members who were in a bad situation all due to a jet bridge lifeline that was parked 10 feet away. If a tornado would have actually hit us that day; we were in a very bad situation. Ensure there is an operations plan for aircraft still on airfield during severe weather events. Obtain automated aircraft parking systems. Cross train other ground Personnel on aircraft jetway operation. Inability to timely evacuate passengers off aircraft in signiificant weather event.
While taxiing for takeoff; Tower notified a B737 crew about a tornado 10 miles away headed toward the airport. The aircraft was returned to the gate but because of terminal evacuations was delayed parking and evacuating occupants to safety.