Ground Handling Event - Boeing 737-8FE, VH-VUR, Brisbane Aerodrome, Queensland, on 5 October 2010

On 5 October 2010, at 2115 Eastern Standard Time, a Boeing Company 737-8FE, registered VH-VUR, had completed push back from parking bay 47 at Brisbane aerodrome, Queensland. The handling engineer disconnected the power push unit (PPU) from the aircraft and the pilot in command (PIC) received clearance from air Traffic Control (ATC) to taxi via taxiway C6.

As the aircraft moved away from the disconnect point on the apron, the PIC steered the aircraft to the left instead of right. This required the PIC to make a tight 270⁰ turn to continue along the apron to taxiway C6. During the 270⁰ turn, the dispatch engineer had to quickly manoeuvre the PPU to avoid a collision with the aircraft and, at the same time, avoid the hot exhaust emissions from the aircraft turbine engines.

This occurrence reinforces the importance of the flight crew maintaining situational awareness when manoeuvring aircraft.

As a result of this occurrence, the aircraft operator notified their flight crew and issued a flight crew operational notice.