Narrative:

In regards to the events of oct/wed/95 captain reported to the hangar at FX30 am, first officer reported at FX50 am. Captain went downstairs and talked to the maintenance guys and they indicated that they did not know which aircraft we were to use for flight. We were supposed to take atx X and were given atx Y. At GX00 am we began our crew briefing for the day's events which included, dispatch release review and WX. Once we knew which aircraft we were taking we went down to the ramp. It was GX20 am. We met the inspectors and walked straight to the airplane and went directly into the cockpit to do our checklist. Once it was completed my first officer left to do a complete preflight outside. By this time the inspectors were walking around the airplane. The captain stayed in the cockpit and reviewed the aircraft logbook just in case there was any discrepancy, and called operations for ground personnel several times but didn't see anybody. By this time first officer completed the preflight. While captain was in the cockpit, he saw the first officer hand signaling that the preflight was complete and engines #3 and #4 were clear to start. Still no ground personnel available. To keep on schedule and avoid delays engines were started since it already was GX35 am and we knew we had to be at the gate by GX30 am. Once #3 and #4 were started captain called operations on the radio that #1 and #2 engines could not be started unless somebody from maintenance came out. Finally a mechanic showed up and we started taxiing to the gate at GX40 am. Dispatcher on duty can confirm crew sign in times, aircraft release time and time aircraft left to the gate which was GX40 am. Flight air carrier Y left on time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MDT TURBOPROP WAS DELAYED IN STARTING ENGS REQUIRING GND PERSONNEL STANDBY PRIOR TO STARTING.

Narrative: IN REGARDS TO THE EVENTS OF OCT/WED/95 CAPT RPTED TO THE HANGAR AT FX30 AM, FO RPTED AT FX50 AM. CAPT WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND TALKED TO THE MAINT GUYS AND THEY INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHICH ACFT WE WERE TO USE FOR FLT. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE ATX X AND WERE GIVEN ATX Y. AT GX00 AM WE BEGAN OUR CREW BRIEFING FOR THE DAY'S EVENTS WHICH INCLUDED, DISPATCH RELEASE REVIEW AND WX. ONCE WE KNEW WHICH ACFT WE WERE TAKING WE WENT DOWN TO THE RAMP. IT WAS GX20 AM. WE MET THE INSPECTORS AND WALKED STRAIGHT TO THE AIRPLANE AND WENT DIRECTLY INTO THE COCKPIT TO DO OUR CHKLIST. ONCE IT WAS COMPLETED MY FO LEFT TO DO A COMPLETE PREFLT OUTSIDE. BY THIS TIME THE INSPECTORS WERE WALKING AROUND THE AIRPLANE. THE CAPT STAYED IN THE COCKPIT AND REVIEWED THE ACFT LOGBOOK JUST IN CASE THERE WAS ANY DISCREPANCY, AND CALLED OPS FOR GND PERSONNEL SEVERAL TIMES BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY. BY THIS TIME FO COMPLETED THE PREFLT. WHILE CAPT WAS IN THE COCKPIT, HE SAW THE FO HAND SIGNALING THAT THE PREFLT WAS COMPLETE AND ENGS #3 AND #4 WERE CLR TO START. STILL NO GND PERSONNEL AVAILABLE. TO KEEP ON SCHEDULE AND AVOID DELAYS ENGS WERE STARTED SINCE IT ALREADY WAS GX35 AM AND WE KNEW WE HAD TO BE AT THE GATE BY GX30 AM. ONCE #3 AND #4 WERE STARTED CAPT CALLED OPS ON THE RADIO THAT #1 AND #2 ENGS COULD NOT BE STARTED UNLESS SOMEBODY FROM MAINT CAME OUT. FINALLY A MECH SHOWED UP AND WE STARTED TAXIING TO THE GATE AT GX40 AM. DISPATCHER ON DUTY CAN CONFIRM CREW SIGN IN TIMES, ACFT RELEASE TIME AND TIME ACFT LEFT TO THE GATE WHICH WAS GX40 AM. FLT ACR Y LEFT ON TIME.

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.