Narrative:

While starting engines, parking brake did not hold allowing aircraft to creep forward, causing damage to aircraft and ground power unit, as follows: my copilot and I had been on duty for about 7 hours. We had flown into ind -- about a 1 1/2 hour flight -- arrived at about AM00 EST. The temperature was about 25 degrees F. The engines (and crew) were cold and difficult to start. The before start checklist was run that called for 'brakes set.' the ground crewman called to start engine. I customarily start the #2 engine first, since it gives better control in the cockpit. The engine started, running rough, as usual as it heated up. I then signaled for the ground power unit to be removed. I perceived that the APU had been removed to a safe distance -- however, it had been disconnected in place, in front of the right engine. Note: the gpu is not visible by the captain. My copilot was running the after start checklist for the right engine and watching the engine instruments for a very slow oil pressure rise. I was signaled by a mechanic outside to start the left engine. I was very busy trying to start the cold engine, switching magnetos on, just the right prime and just as the left engine began to try to start, I heard the bang the aircraft had crept forward and the right propeller struck the APU. I thought there had been an explosion and shut down the engines and power. Contributing factors: cold temperature, rush by customer poor lighting on the ramp, wrong placement of APU, both crewmembers concentrating on the task at hand. Corrective action: APU now placed rear and right of aircraft. Copilot holds brakes during starting operation (note captain sets brakes, copilot cannot unset from his side. Better lighting has been requested).

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ATX MOVES FORWARD DURING ENG START AND HITS APU CART.

Narrative: WHILE STARTING ENGS, PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD ALLOWING ACFT TO CREEP FORWARD, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ACFT AND GND PWR UNIT, AS FOLLOWS: MY COPLT AND I HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR ABOUT 7 HRS. WE HAD FLOWN INTO IND -- ABOUT A 1 1/2 HR FLT -- ARRIVED AT ABOUT AM00 EST. THE TEMP WAS ABOUT 25 DEGS F. THE ENGS (AND CREW) WERE COLD AND DIFFICULT TO START. THE BEFORE START CHKLIST WAS RUN THAT CALLED FOR 'BRAKES SET.' THE GND CREWMAN CALLED TO START ENG. I CUSTOMARILY START THE #2 ENG FIRST, SINCE IT GIVES BETTER CTL IN THE COCKPIT. THE ENG STARTED, RUNNING ROUGH, AS USUAL AS IT HEATED UP. I THEN SIGNALED FOR THE GND PWR UNIT TO BE REMOVED. I PERCEIVED THAT THE APU HAD BEEN REMOVED TO A SAFE DISTANCE -- HOWEVER, IT HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED IN PLACE, IN FRONT OF THE R ENG. NOTE: THE GPU IS NOT VISIBLE BY THE CAPT. MY COPLT WAS RUNNING THE AFTER START CHKLIST FOR THE R ENG AND WATCHING THE ENG INSTS FOR A VERY SLOW OIL PRESSURE RISE. I WAS SIGNALED BY A MECH OUTSIDE TO START THE L ENG. I WAS VERY BUSY TRYING TO START THE COLD ENG, SWITCHING MAGNETOS ON, JUST THE R PRIME AND JUST AS THE L ENG BEGAN TO TRY TO START, I HEARD THE BANG THE ACFT HAD CREPT FORWARD AND THE R PROP STRUCK THE APU. I THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN AN EXPLOSION AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGS AND PWR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: COLD TEMP, RUSH BY CUSTOMER POOR LIGHTING ON THE RAMP, WRONG PLACEMENT OF APU, BOTH CREWMEMBERS CONCENTRATING ON THE TASK AT HAND. CORRECTIVE ACTION: APU NOW PLACED REAR AND R OF ACFT. COPLT HOLDS BRAKES DURING STARTING OP (NOTE CAPT SETS BRAKES, COPLT CANNOT UNSET FROM HIS SIDE. BETTER LIGHTING HAS BEEN REQUESTED).

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.