Narrative:

I called for the 'before start checklist.' the first officer read 1 or 2 items on the checklist when I detected the aircraft was in motion. I immediately applied maximum brakes. At the same time a felt a jolt. I set the brakes and immediately proceeded to door L2 to investigate. It was learned that the nose tire chocks had been removed, without any communication, neither visual nor aural, to me. The aircraft had rolled forward and impacted the ramp stairs with the #1 engine causing damage to both the #1 engine and the ramp stairs. Due to the nature of widebody transport aircraft with center body gear, my company procedure is, upon arrival after engine shutdown and confirmation that chocks have been installed, the parking brakes are released. The parking brakes are not set again until the 'just prior to engine start' checklist which takes place approximately 60 seconds before engine start. The cause of the damage was simply no communication to the cockpit as to removal of the chocks. Supplemental information from acn 254043: the aircraft was parked at the east ramp. The secure checklist was accomplished according to procedures. The brakes were released after the chocks were in place. Air carrier procedures are to release the brakes when the wheel chocks are in place and the brakes are not reset until just prior to engine start.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB ACFT ROLLED INTO AN AIR STAIRS.

Narrative: I CALLED FOR THE 'BEFORE START CHKLIST.' THE FO READ 1 OR 2 ITEMS ON THE CHKLIST WHEN I DETECTED THE ACFT WAS IN MOTION. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED MAX BRAKES. AT THE SAME TIME A FELT A JOLT. I SET THE BRAKES AND IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDED TO DOOR L2 TO INVESTIGATE. IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE NOSE TIRE CHOCKS HAD BEEN REMOVED, WITHOUT ANY COM, NEITHER VISUAL NOR AURAL, TO ME. THE ACFT HAD ROLLED FORWARD AND IMPACTED THE RAMP STAIRS WITH THE #1 ENG CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH THE #1 ENG AND THE RAMP STAIRS. DUE TO THE NATURE OF WDB ACFT WITH CTR BODY GEAR, MY COMPANY PROC IS, UPON ARR AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN AND CONFIRMATION THAT CHOCKS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, THE PARKING BRAKES ARE RELEASED. THE PARKING BRAKES ARE NOT SET AGAIN UNTIL THE 'JUST PRIOR TO ENG START' CHKLIST WHICH TAKES PLACE APPROX 60 SECONDS BEFORE ENG START. THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE WAS SIMPLY NO COM TO THE COCKPIT AS TO REMOVAL OF THE CHOCKS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 254043: THE ACFT WAS PARKED AT THE E RAMP. THE SECURE CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING TO PROCS. THE BRAKES WERE RELEASED AFTER THE CHOCKS WERE IN PLACE. ACR PROCS ARE TO RELEASE THE BRAKES WHEN THE WHEEL CHOCKS ARE IN PLACE AND THE BRAKES ARE NOT RESET UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO ENG START.

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.