RAMP
rolling WHEELS mishaps
I doubt that you'll find any recorded RAMP mishaps with the ACARS mentioned as a factor. Maybe the main point of the notice was that pilots should understand more about
RISKS to RAMP WORKERS -- since the PILOT's health isn't threatened by the early Brake Release.
The biggest problem is that few of these sorts of cases were recorded in either the NTSB nor the FAA database (during past decades). Recall, there was FATAL ramp pushback mishap
[21Aug00], not recorded in either database. During the past few years there is a new player in airline safety, OSHA, who may record some details after future mishaps -- but so far OSHA has not been a source for such information.
Mostly, recorded injury cases have been at the end of the
push-back, during or after the
disconnect of the Tow Bar, eg:
NTSB ... SEA08LA182
... Eva Air
... Saturday, August 16, 2008 in San Francisco, CA
... Boeing 777-300, ... B-16710
Injuries: 1 Serious ...
... preliminary information ...
On August 16, 2008, at 0202 Pacific daylight time, Eva Air 17, Taiwanese registry B16710, a Boeing 777-300, was being pushed back from the gate when a mechanic was pinned under the left nose gear at San Francisco ...
... an Eva Air mechanic and a Swissport ramp employee were pushing the flight back from the gate. The tow bar was then removed, the airplane came forward, and the mechanic was pinned under the left nose gear.
Here's another example of ROLLING wheels injury:
Tow-bar discon a/c rolled
** Report created 3/10/2008 **
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: UNK Make/Model: A319 Description: A-319
Date: 03/08/2008 Time: 1300
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None [??] ...
Damage: None
LOCATION City: PORTSMOUTH State: NH Country: US
DESCRIPTION
WHEN THE TOW BAR WAS DISCONNECTED DURING THE PUSH BACK, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FORWARD AND OVER THE GROUND EMPLOYEE'S FOOT ...
The Board's website is "down" at this moment, here are some rough notes:
Delta L1011 / 27Mar97 LGA push-back, fatal: ramp worker (push crew) under NLG wheel [NTSB web site].
Here's another possible version of a RAMP mishap, that occurred near or about the "OUT" event:
Frontier / 4Mar97 B737-201, N217US airplane was ready for pushback when the 'B' flight attendant told the 'A' flight attendant that a thru passenger had reported the cabin cleaning crew had mistakenly removed his child's stuffed animal and he wanted it returned. The 'A' flight attendant opened the forward entry door after the jetway had backed away from the airplane. Either losing his balance or not realizing the jetway had backed away, he fell 8 feet, 3 inches to the tarmac below, fracturing both wrists, his jaw, and sustaining a concussion. According to the company's chief flight attendant, the injured flight attendant violated company policy and procedures by opening the cabin door prior to the jetway being placed in position. P.C. = flight attendant's failure to assure that the jetway was placed in the proper position prior to opening the forward cabin entry door. [fall, L1 Door, jetwey, ramp; NTSB web site.]