Narrative:

Flight pushed back from gate approximately 45 mins late due oil leak on #1 engine. Tug operator cleared me to start both engines. During engine start, tug operator announced disconnecting headset (normal SOP). During what seemed in retrospect, an inordinately long delay after headphone disconnect, I noticed first officer calling for taxi clearance from ATC. I increased volume on my communication panel in order to monitor ground control's instructions. I normally don't monitor ATC until after the pushback process. Upon hearing the ATC taxi clearance and scanning outside the airplane (and seeing no conflicts) I released brakes and initiated taxi. A few mins later we were contacted by company and told tug driver had some sort of tug problem and had to hurry to evade taxiing aircraft. I had forgotten to obtain tug operator's salute and release from guidance before taxiing. No injuries or damage resulted. Performance factors involved include natural tendency to rush when late. Also, adherence to SOP's is essential, as the SOP to request taxi clearance only after release from pushback is the essential safeguard against tug/operator damage or injury.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR FLT TAXIES WITHOUT SALUTE FROM TUG DRIVER, CAUSING TUG DRIVER TO SCRAMBLE FOR SAFETY.

Narrative: FLT PUSHED BACK FROM GATE APPROX 45 MINS LATE DUE OIL LEAK ON #1 ENG. TUG OPERATOR CLRED ME TO START BOTH ENGS. DURING ENG START, TUG OPERATOR ANNOUNCED DISCONNECTING HEADSET (NORMAL SOP). DURING WHAT SEEMED IN RETROSPECT, AN INORDINATELY LONG DELAY AFTER HEADPHONE DISCONNECT, I NOTICED FO CALLING FOR TAXI CLRNC FROM ATC. I INCREASED VOLUME ON MY COM PANEL IN ORDER TO MONITOR GND CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS. I NORMALLY DON'T MONITOR ATC UNTIL AFTER THE PUSHBACK PROCESS. UPON HEARING THE ATC TAXI CLRNC AND SCANNING OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE (AND SEEING NO CONFLICTS) I RELEASED BRAKES AND INITIATED TAXI. A FEW MINS LATER WE WERE CONTACTED BY COMPANY AND TOLD TUG DRIVER HAD SOME SORT OF TUG PROB AND HAD TO HURRY TO EVADE TAXIING ACFT. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO OBTAIN TUG OPERATOR'S SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE BEFORE TAXIING. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE RESULTED. PERFORMANCE FACTORS INVOLVED INCLUDE NATURAL TENDENCY TO RUSH WHEN LATE. ALSO, ADHERENCE TO SOP'S IS ESSENTIAL, AS THE SOP TO REQUEST TAXI CLRNC ONLY AFTER RELEASE FROM PUSHBACK IS THE ESSENTIAL SAFEGUARD AGAINST TUG/OPERATOR DAMAGE OR INJURY.

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.