Getting out to push, and why my ships don't like it.

[Stratoroc]

So an ambitious mission with not enough fuel was stuck in a high Kerbin orbit and no fuel (or docking ports) to return. I've attempted to get out and push, which always resulted in the pilot on EVA flying off as if suffering a crash into the ship. I was not able to regain control of the kerbal so I had to reload. This push and tumble away happened whenever I tried to push with a any significant trajectory change.

What am I doing wrong?

Oh and the stranded flights I deorbited using a tug with KAS magnets.

[Taki117]

you actually aren't doing anything wrong. What's happening is the game is detecting a collision and flinging your kerbal off. If you are using the "get out and push" method you always want to set yourself a mental safety margin on fuel, and if you do get flung off toggle RCS, wait a bit, and activate it again and wait a moment for your kerbal to stabilize.

[WafflesToo]

First, don't panic.

Second, turn off your RCS

Finaly, wait for your Kerman to rotate around until he's straight up and down and reactivate his RCS pack. He should stabilize straight away.

Good luck!

[Sirrobert]

Were you pushing against flat surfaces? Maybe lack of that got him flung of?

[Andersenman]

Possibly you have something built close to the hatch that doesn't quite get recognised as obstruction but still manages to make physics squeeze the Kerbal away.

[rdfox]

When I use the get out and push method, I both leave a reserve in the RCS pack, and make sure to lodge the Kerbal's helmet in the spacecraft's engine bell while they push; that reduces the odds of slipping off or getting a collision detection.