Incident Overview

Description
Binter Canarias flight NT5203, an Airbus A320-214, was being towed backwards with a turn on the platform to guide it taxiing in a northerly direction towards runway 21 by means of a tow truck. There were difficulties when the operator unhooked the tow bar from the tractor. When trying to solve the problem, there was a certain lack of coordination and haste among the ground workers: coordinator, bar operator and tractor operator, so that several actions deviating from the operating procedures accumulated. In this process, the crew was asked to release the plane’s parking brake and the operator driving the tractor got off it. In the attempt to release or unhook the airplane’s tow bar, he got trapped and a wheel of the nose gear seriously injured his leg.
Primary Cause
Lack of coordination and haste among ground workers during the tow operation.Lack of coordination and haste among ground workers during the tow operation.Share on: