Date: 201604
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: LGA.Airport, NY
Flight conditions: VMC
Aircraft: Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Ground LGA
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: After receiving push clearance from ramp and LGA Ground Control (GC); I advised the push crew via interphone at least SIX times; at push [and] at points during push; that we were cleared to push onto taxiway A; tail east. EVERY response (when heard) was 'Roger; cleared to spot 3'. I gave up explaining and decided to give 'progressives' during the push. At Spot 3; I was asked to set brakes. I responded with 'I can set brakes; but we are not disconnecting here. We need to keep going onto taxiway A'. I was told to standby and could overhear a partial discussion about the push with other ramp personnel. LGA GC wasn't happy our push onto taxiway A was taking so long; leading to revised clearances to subsequently wait for other aircraft to taxi by. During the push; there were several times I tried to confirm or clarify with the push crew as to exactly where and how the push was to be accomplished--AT WHICH TIME I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. Once pulled onto taxiway A; the push crew inexplicably repositioned the aircraft in a rearward direction. As I was transmitting as to why; GC told us to stop our push. I immediately commanded the push crew to STOP THE PUSHBACK. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. The aircraft continued in a rearward direction for another 30 feet; while I desperately tried to make some kind of contact with the push crew by flashing the taxi light. The aircraft finally stopped and comm was established. I asked him if he heard any of my transmissions. His reply: 'I cannot talk [and] listen to you while I am driving the tug. Only when I stop the tug and get out'. Unbelievable. That explains why we seemingly had intermittent communications. At no time while the aircraft was in motion did I have positive communication with the push crew. An incredibly dangerous situation. I was unable to control the motion and positioning of the aircraft from my direction or indirectly from LGA GC on an active taxiway.My Lesson Learned: At the first indication and at any point during the pushback; the pushback crew may not be receiving ANY of my transmissions of any nature; flash the taxi light in hopes of stopping the aircraft and investigate. Even if it is a short simple straight back.


Second narrative: We were following the pushback procedure for the [aircraft type] at LGA. After coordinating with ramp and LGA ground we were instructed to push onto taxiway A facing GG. The tug driver was instructed multiple times to push us onto A facing GG. Despite being instructed to do this we were pushed to spot 3 where the tug driver attempted to leave us. We told him we needed to be on A as instructed. We again coordinated with ground who cleared us to be towed onto A short of F. The tug driver pulled us onto A; short of F. He then started to push us further back on A. The captain called multiple times to tell him to stop the push and received no response. We flashed the taxi light which caused the tug driver to stop. At that point we received a call from him. He was asked if he could hear and he said yes. At that point he informed us he couldn't drive the tug and listen to the headset at the same time. He had essentially gone off comm with us during the push without advising us. At that point we disconnected and started engines. We taxied out and departed without further event. LGA ground advised us that the push crews messed up this procedure with [this aircraft type] frequently. The two takeaways are we seem to have a pushback procedure at LGA that the push crews are very unfamiliar with or unaware of completely; and also of concern; push airplanes without maintaining constant headset comm with the flight deck. As stated; we were unaware he was not in comm with us until we tried to get him to stop the push. Fortunately; in this case; we did not have a breakaway; nor present an immediate hazard to anything else.


Synopsis: A flight crew reported communication difficulties with their pushback crew during pushback at LGA. The instructions from Ground Control were somewhat complicated and the flight crew was unable to talk to the tug driver while he was operating the tug.