We thought we were cleared to start and consequently also cleared to push so we initiated the pushing process. We were pushed back by a single man respectively a tug without towbar. So when the mistake was discovered by ground control, we were unable to stop the process immediately as we could not communicate with the tug.
SWANS-LL-2010-002
Reporter’s description of the incident
Causes from the reporter’s point of view
- Crew initiated pushback process with ambiguous mind about the clearance.
- Crew accepted pushback without being able to communicate to the tug operator.
Reporter’s suggestion for improvement
- Do not move the aircraft without being 100% sure about the clearance.
- Do not pushback before having secured ways of communication with the pushback tug operator.
FOCA comment
The FOCA notes that communication failures, such as misinterpretation and false assump-tion, are one of the most common causal factors leading to dangerous situations.
It is therefore essential not to assume but to reconfirm the information in case of uncertainty.
