Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 184; Flight Crew Type 7289
Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
We were operating as a ferry flight with only FAs (flight attendants) onboard. We pushed from [the] gate cleared by Ramp to taxi BS to 4E for Runway 17R. We taxied on BS toward 4E and Ramp cleared us to switch to Ground. We have not received our final weights yet; so FO (First Officer) was busy calling station Operations on R VHF to request final weight while we both monitored Ground on L VHF. Thunderstorms were just east of the field and Ground is telling another aircraft their departure route is closed. I was looking out to the east and south to evaluate the weather for our departure. Then I heard FO yell 'STOP STOP STOP!' just as I started to follow the slight left jog in BS at 4E. I stopped the aircraft; set the parking brake and saw [another aircraft] being pushed back and its tail was well within our left wingspan's path. They continued to push back and had we not stopped; we would definitely have hit the [other aircraft]! Their wing walkers never clear the path! Even with us stopped right beside them; they still continue to clear the aircraft to pushback farther! FO tried to call Ramp again to inquire about the pushback into our path. Ramp's response was that she was not talking to the [other] crew; they were talking to their push crew. She suggested we can go to AN to Ground there; but we had insufficient clearance for our left wing to do the right turn without hitting the [other aircraft]! Both the FO and myself also observed the ramper gave the cleared signal for the [other aircraft] even when their tug was still attached to the aircraft! Their pushback crew and wingwalkers clearly were not doing their job properly! We told Ramp that we could not taxi until the [other aircraft] is out of the way; so she cleared them to turn west and circle behind us. Once the [other aircraft] was out of the way; we continued to 4E and switched to Ground. Distractions for us were the late final weights; weather for departure; and [the] FO did a great job by noticing the incursion and told me to stop the aircraft; thus avoiding a ground collision!
Air carrier Captain of a passenger aircraft reported a near collision with another aircraft while taxiing out for takeoff.