Gatwick incident.

[Doctor Gollum]

Given the state of the hysterical bullshit that is already filling the news...:

In the course of pushing back a flight to St Petersburg, the push back banksmans legs were crushed. He was flown to hospital.

The aircraft is still where it stopped, it never taxied, let alone reached the runway.

The passengers have been disembarked. And the aircraft and scene are being scrutinised as to how the incident happened.

Off the record, it has been suggested that the aircrew failed to secure the aircraft whilst the tow bar was removed.

Thoughts are obviously with those directly involved.

[Entwood]

Wonderful (NOT) comments in some media ... he was injured by being run over "while the plane attempted to take off" !!!!   Let's not let a few facts get in the way of a good headline !!

Hope the guy is OK and make s a good and fast recovery 

Sounds like the brakes were off at tow bar release ... the inquiry will find out why ... was the guy early ? or the crew late ?? two sides to every story ..

[Doctor Gollum]

It is beginning to look more complicated than a simple oversight by the crew. Possibly that something had been spotted during the pushback, and whilst investigating this, something in the steering gear failed whilst under load... The subsequent tension release being what has caused the banksman to become pinned.

All speculation at the moment, as it's such an unusual type of incident... The towbar latch shear pin is the weak link when towing, and it is not uncommon for them to snap if the aircraft is jolted whilst towing forwards... But when pushing back, the loads are reversed and this doesn't happen.

Suffice to say that both engineers and the AAIB have spent a large part of the evening working on and around the aircraft. It was finally towed, very slowly, clear at about 22:30.

Be interesting to read the report when it is released, although it wouldn't be the first A320 family aircraft to suffer nose gear steering issues though...

No word yet on the chap concerned, but it will undoubtedly be a long night for him and his family. 

[Doctor Gollum]

Lucky bugger is already out of hospital 

Unofficially, the ground crew did everything they should and the flight deck prematurely released the brakes, allowing the aircraft to roll.

If this is the case, then I suspect that they were holding the aircraft using the pedals rather than the parking brake

[aaronjb]

St Petersburg, you say. Aeroflot, was it? What did the unfortunate ground crew guy do to annoy Putin...

[Lazydocker]

Lucky bugger is already out of hospital 

This is great news! Assume no severe injuries then? Did it even break his foot?

As for the cause... Unfortunately everyone takes shortcuts every now and again (the ground crew could be covering their arses like anyone else will  ) and these incidents are what highlights that.

[Entwood]

Lucky bugger is already out of hospital 

Unofficially, the ground crew did everything they should and the flight deck prematurely released the brakes, allowing the aircraft to roll.

If this is the case, then I suspect that they were holding the aircraft using the pedals rather than the parking brake

Both major "No No's" in my day ... communication between ground crew/flight deck essential and covered by either/both of intercom and/or hand signals ... however, the human animal is prone to making mistakes, no matter how rigid or well practised the procedures are ..

[biggriffin]

St Petersburg, you say. Aeroflot, was it? What did the unfortunate ground crew guy do to annoy Putin...

What I was thinking, there using aeroplanes now to bump off undesirables from the old country, rods2 will have a theory.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Was the plane called Putin's Revenge? 

[Doctor Gollum]

St Petersburg, you say. Aeroflot, was it? What did the unfortunate ground crew guy do to annoy Putin...

Rossiya and apparently the crew were denied entry

[Doctor Gollum]

Lucky bugger is already out of hospital 

This is great news! Assume no severe injuries then? Did it even break his foot?

As for the cause... Unfortunately everyone takes shortcuts every now and again (the ground crew could be covering their arses like anyone else will  ) and these incidents are what highlights that.

Actually that was incorrect, had been heard from a mate of a mate, this is a relatively small village...

He was taken to St George's and has lost his foot

[Lazydocker]

Lucky bugger is already out of hospital 

This is great news! Assume no severe injuries then? Did it even break his foot?

As for the cause... Unfortunately everyone takes shortcuts every now and again (the ground crew could be covering their arses like anyone else will  ) and these incidents are what highlights that.

Actually that was incorrect, had been heard from a mate of a mate, this is a relatively small village...

He was taken to St George's and has lost his foot

How sad, although more like I expected... 

[Entwood]

poor bugger .. but still lots of crap in the media ..

BBC .. released from hospital ..

Sky ... "baggage handler"

Star ... "crewman"

"Get surrey" ...   A flight aborted take off and returned to a Gatwick Airport terminal due to an incident

Shame they can't even attempt to be accurate ..

[Doctor Gollum]

Lucky bugger is already out of hospital 

This is great news! Assume no severe injuries then? Did it even break his foot?

As for the cause... Unfortunately everyone takes shortcuts every now and again (the ground crew could be covering their arses like anyone else will  ) and these incidents are what highlights that.

Actually that was incorrect, had been heard from a mate of a mate, this is a relatively small village...

He was taken to St George's and has lost his foot

How sad, although more like I expected... 

Likewise

[BazaJT]

A high price to pay for [possibly]someones mistake/rush.However if there's a bright side to this then I suppose it could have been a whole lot worse.