An A300 freighter flight crew reports a parking brake failure while parking on the ramp at den.

Attributes
ACN	483187
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	483187
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground less severe ground encounters other non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After landing at den we taxied to the designated ramp for parking. We were marshalled to a final stop. The parking brake was set, engines shut down, and beacon turned off. First officer went to open the door, and captain monitored ECAM for slide arming status. Apparently the aircraft rolled forward and struck the airstairs. The wheels had apparently not been chocked in accordance with procedures. I do not know why the parking brake did not work. It would be wise to have the procedure of chocking the nosewheel immediately after stop.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300 FREIGHTER FLC RPTS A PARKING BRAKE FAILURE WHILE PARKING ON THE RAMP AT DEN.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT DEN WE TAXIED TO THE DESIGNATED RAMP FOR PARKING. WE WERE MARSHALLED TO A FINAL STOP. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET, ENGS SHUT DOWN, AND BEACON TURNED OFF. FO WENT TO OPEN THE DOOR, AND CAPT MONITORED ECAM FOR SLIDE ARMING STATUS. APPARENTLY THE ACFT ROLLED FORWARD AND STRUCK THE AIRSTAIRS. THE WHEELS HAD APPARENTLY NOT BEEN CHOCKED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROCS. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT WORK. IT WOULD BE WISE TO HAVE THE PROC OF CHOCKING THE NOSEWHEEL IMMEDIATELY AFTER STOP.

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.