A319
Ground Event / Encounter Vehicle
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors
I was the tractor driver pushing back the A319. When we attempted to disconnect the tow bar from the aircraft there was too much tension so it would not release. I told the wingwalker to put the tow bar handle back in place (pull handle to lock tow bar in place). To my knowledge; he did. I proceeded to push the aircraft forward and back to straighten it out. At that moment the towbar came loose from the aircraft before I could tell the Captain to set brakes. One engine was running and the aircraft rolled forward over the tow bar and hit the tow tractor.
With all checklists complete; the tug driver said he was ready for pushback. The First Officer called both Ramp Control and Ground Control and received clearance to push. I told this over the headset to the tug driver and we began pushback. During pushback; we received clearance to start engines from the tug driver. We decided to start the number one engine only since we anticipated a long taxi. The tug driver brought the airplane to a stop and told me to set the parking brake; which I did. We sat there about 10 seconds and then he told me it 'looked a little tight' and to release the parking brake again. I interpreted this to mean he was not satisfied with the position of the airplane. I released the parking brake again and he pushed us back another 10-15 feet. The tug driver then started pulling us forward. The pushback procedure seemed completely normal up to this point; but all of a sudden I heard the tug diver yell 'break away' at the same time we heard a grinding noise coming from the nose gear area. I immediately applied the brakes. I looked to the left and the wing walker was giving me the hand signal to set the parking brake. I set the brakes and I gave her the corresponding hand signal that brakes were set. She then gave me the signal to shut down engines; so I told the First Officer to shut down the engine. I then made several attempts to contact the tug driver over the headset; but there was no answer. I called the Lead Flight Attendant and asked if everyone was OK in the cabin; and she said everyone appeared OK and she was the only one standing at the time. She was thrown against the forward cabin bulkhead; but felt OK at that time. We then called Station Operations and asked for information about what had happened; and they told us the tow bar had disconnected and Maintenance personnel were on the way for an inspection. Soon the [airport] police and fire department arrived. They and our Maintenance people made an assessment and determined the airplane should not move with people on board; so they pulled air stairs up to door 2L and deplaned the passengers and escorted them back to the terminal. We assured that all people and belongings were off the airplane and that Maintenance had control of the airplane; and then we exited the airplane to the terminal.
An A319 crew and the tug driver involved describe a breakaway with the aircraft hitting the tug with the number one engine running.