EZY LGW-AMS pushed back onto grass

[cap360]

EZY A320 LGW-AMS pushed back onto grass 29th Dec The Tug Crew then tried to pull the aircraft out of the mud without success. What happened next is beyond belief ! the Captain Calls for Taxi ! and is going to try to free the stuck aircraft. Only when the other EZY aircraft pushing back off the adjacent stand called him and said "do you realise are in the grass?" the reply was "yes the tug failed to pull us out" he was then advised to stay where he was and get help. !!

[noflynomore]

I'd have thought it beyond belief if he hadn't tried - though we don't know how deep it was sunk in.

What's the harm in trying? Isn't that the first thing you'd do? He'd look a right chump if they deplaned the pax, sent them off hours later in a spare and then found it came off the grass under its own power.

[Landflap]

Nofylnomore : Absolutely. Tis what we get all this dosh for eh ? Think outside the box sometimes but we do stand at sole risk if it all goes horribly wrong.

[Capt Fathom]

If you could power it out of the mire, there could be mud left on the wheels which could come off during takeoff and cause damage.
Best to leave it to the engineers to get it off the grass, carry out an inspection and clean it up!

[tubby linton]

EasyJet plane trying to take off at Gatwick delayed ?after pushed onto the GRASS' | Daily Mail Online The ground looked frozen so should have been firm.Any idea what stand they were pushed from?

[763 jock]

Is this thread for real? Are people seriously suggesting that the best idea is to open up the taps and give it a go?

Are there any professional pilots actually on this site anymore?

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by tubby linton

Any idea what stand they were pushed from?

There's a rather confusing double-track on FlightRadar24 which suggests that it may have pushed from one of the 140 stands, in which case it presumably went straight back onto the grass to the south of Twy J.

[Good Business Sense]

763 Jock

Jeez 763 sooooo right - before I got to your post my jaw had already hit the floor.

[saddest aviator]

Oh come on does this really warrant so much criticism !! Many years ago at Gatwick in a B757 the tug had difficulty pushing back my aircraft because of too much deicing fluid spilt on the ramp. Solution crack the reversers! Of course under the direction of the ground crew and permission of the tower. We as a profession are now so terrified to think outside the box, fearing retribution from an aggressive management. Grow some guys and do what you are paid for.

[Nil further]

AFAIK as soon as the aircraft has departed the paved surface it becomes a notifiable incident to the AAIB and the a/c should not be moved until the AAIB give the OK ?

[Nightstop]

I'd say it was pushed back from Stand 555, judging by the Emirates A380 in the background which always parks on 110, and taxiway QB is just alongside.
As for the suggestion that you attempt to power out of the mire, absolutely rediculous idea

[followthegreens]

We as a profession are now so terrified to think outside the box, fearing retribution from an aggressive management.

"Thinking outside the box" does not automatically generate a good idea...

I would suggest professional pilots leave shoving the throttles forward and shouting "Power!" to Mr Clarkson

[Black Pudding]

Then stupidity of anyone thinking you should try and power it out is beyond me. Anyone who thinks they should have tried that should never be allowed anywhere near the controls of an aircraft. It's the push back engineers fault. Their problem, not the Captains. Shut down the engines and await instructions from the office. The implications and risk trying to power it out may not only ladbto your career being over, but possibly injury or even a bit of time spent in jail. How stupid can some people be.

[GAZIN]

During my career I have seen aircraft helping the tug with engine power a few times, usually successfully. But it wasn't a good idea then and still isn't, it's too unpredictable.
If the tug couldn't extricate the aircraft then the situation required some careful consideration. The pilot wouldn't have had a complete picture of his situation without getting out and seeing for himself.

[Huck]

Oh come on does this really warrant so much criticism !! Many years ago at Gatwick in a B757 the tug had difficulty pushing back my aircraft because of too much deicing fluid spilt on the ramp. Solution crack the reversers! Of course under the direction of the ground crew and permission of the tower. We as a profession are now so terrified to think outside the box, fearing retribution from an aggressive management. Grow some bo...cks guys and do what you are paid for.

I'm paid to consider the hazards of my actions. I have absolutely no idea of the strains inflicted on the struts, pulling out of mud like that. This ain't a Jeep. The gear is being drug through the mud, while holding up the weight of the aircraft and any dynamic forces caused by hitting ruts or the edge of the pavement. Guts got nothing to do with it.

[A4]

Some of the "macho" responses on here sound like they're from a bygone era. As Commander you are LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE for everything that happens on your aircraft and we live in a highly litigious world. Everything you say over the PA is recorded by 100+ iPhones and on the WWW before the engines have spooled down

If you're about to do some "out of the box" thinking - which sometimes is perfectly acceptable - before doing so, just take a few moments to think how it will sound as you try to justify your actions if it all goes wrong/gets reported/appears on FaceBook/Twitter or any other (anti)social media outlet.

Your company will thank you for your extra effort to keep the program going.....right up until the point it all goes wrong....they'll then be sitting on the other side of the courtroom from you.

Don't be heros. Play by rules, do what is safe, do what is sensible. If the flight gets delayed/canned - so what, that's not YOUR problem, it's the company's to resolve.

We get paid "big bucks" to do the right thing - not to make up off the cuff clever ideas. K.I.S

[grafity]

During my career I have seen aircraft helping the tug with engine power a few times, usually successfully. But it wasn't a good idea then and still isn't, it's too unpredictable.
If the tug couldn't extricate the aircraft then the situation required some careful consideration. The pilot wouldn't have had a complete picture of his situation without getting out and seeing for himself.

I presume in this case if they called for taxi the tug had been disconnected. Looking at the pictures it could be that the reason the tug didn't stop was that it lost traction on ice and couldn't stop before the grass.

I'm paid to consider the hazards of my actions. I have absolutely no idea of the strains inflicted on the struts, pulling out of mud like that. This ain't a Jeep. The gear is being drug through the mud, while holding up the weight of the aircraft and any dynamic forces caused by hitting ruts or the edge of the pavement. Guts got nothing to do with it.

You really have very little understanding of the forces your landing gear is designed to be subjected to. Think of the strain on the struts when you're sitting on the breaks at ref thrust, or how's about the plowing it into the runway at 150 knots. If you're going to worry about anything it's engine FOD.


Moral of the story, logic says give it a go but that's not what they want you to do, so don't. Go have a cup of tea while someone else on big bucks gets to make their decision.

[davidjpowell]

Looking at this chap you can easily see what might go wrong...

[Ivan aromer]

An intresting selection of replies to this thread which I think reflects what we have become nowdays, too frightened of our own shadows, it's somebody else's fault, the company will have to sort it out, shut down and wait for help.
Oh dear has it really got that bad?
We are lateral thinking problem solvers, that what we get paid for, isnt it?

[16024]

AFAIK as soon as the aircraft has departed the paved surface it becomes a notifiable incident to the AAIB and the a/c should not be moved until the AAIB give the OK ?

Do you have a source for that statement?
I'm not suggesting we strap on our spurs (or tundra tyres) for every situation, or that I'd have tried off-roading in this instance, but just for some perspective here's the Fluff operating far from any paved surface:

https://i.stack.imgur.com/Hx4my.jpg