Narrative:

I went to start an aircraft at the maintenance ramp. The crew was already in the aircraft when I arrived at the scene, but no passenger were on board. I hooked up the power cart and the pilot asked to start #2. I gave the ok for #2, then #1. After #1 had spooled to about ground idle, I noticed the aircraft begin to roll forward. I signalled to the crew to apply brakes, but couldn't tell if they saw me because of the glare at the proximity to the nose. The aircraft continued to roll into the cart, a distance of about 2'. I signalled to shut down both engines. The pilot shut down, came out and asked why the brakes didn't hold. The brake level was activated with brake pressure pumped down and not reset with a minimum of 700 pounds before engine start or not reset after engine start and the nose wheel was not chocked.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSUFFICIENT HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO SET PARKING BRAKE RESULTING IN ACFT STRIKING GND POWER UNIT.

Narrative: I WENT TO START AN ACFT AT THE MAINT RAMP. THE CREW WAS ALREADY IN THE ACFT WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, BUT NO PAX WERE ON BOARD. I HOOKED UP THE PWR CART AND THE PLT ASKED TO START #2. I GAVE THE OK FOR #2, THEN #1. AFTER #1 HAD SPOOLED TO ABOUT GND IDLE, I NOTICED THE ACFT BEGIN TO ROLL FORWARD. I SIGNALLED TO THE CREW TO APPLY BRAKES, BUT COULDN'T TELL IF THEY SAW ME BECAUSE OF THE GLARE AT THE PROX TO THE NOSE. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO ROLL INTO THE CART, A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 2'. I SIGNALLED TO SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGS. THE PLT SHUT DOWN, CAME OUT AND ASKED WHY THE BRAKES DIDN'T HOLD. THE BRAKE LEVEL WAS ACTIVATED WITH BRAKE PRESSURE PUMPED DOWN AND NOT RESET WITH A MINIMUM OF 700 LBS BEFORE ENG START OR NOT RESET AFTER ENG START AND THE NOSE WHEEL WAS NOT CHOCKED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.