Commercial Fixed Wing
Other / Unknown
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Company Policy; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors
Equipment failure: Towbar hitch broken causing the towbar to separate away from the aircraft. Aircraft was being towed using a Steward and Stevenson pushback tractor; one of our better pushback tractors but by no means a towing tractor. We have a Goldhofer tow tractor but it is out of service more than in service. We towed across 2 taxiways making a couple left and right turns. As I was guiding the aircraft into the gate; I was positioned to the driver's right side due to a pre-positioned GPU. Making sure tractor cleared unit. As the tow was almost complete and tow tractor was slowing down I was guiding tractor to stop mark. I happened then to notice the nose of aircraft veering to the left of the tow tractor. I quickly crossed over to the left hand side of tractor to see what was going on only to hear a loud pop and then a second pop. The tractors driver also noticed at the same time and quickly pulled forward going to the right side away from nose of the aircraft. Simultaneously I radio to flight deck to set brakes. This happened so quick we didn't have time to stop aircraft before it ran over the towbar popping both nose gear tires. My angle of vision was blocked by the position of the GPU and the tow tractor.
Ground crewman supervising an aircraft tow reports a broken tow bar hitch approaching the gate. Before the aircraft can be signaled to set brakes the nose tires run over the towbar popping both tires.