An A320 flight crew started an engine without mechanic's clearance. Captain suspects mechanic was sl...

Attributes
ACN	569030
Time
Date	200212
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : person ground encounters : vehicle non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The jetway was pulled at XA53 as we had a light load and were ready to push for an on-time departure. We completed our before push checklist at XA53. The mechanic plugged into the aircraft also at XA53, yet he did not say anything. At XA55, I told the first officer to call for the pushback clearance. At XA55, the mechanic spoke up and said he was ready for the push. I advised our checklist were complete and we were cleared to push. He said release the brakes and I did so. We were in front of 3 other aircraft pushed back into the alley. The mechanic proceeded to push the aircraft at 1-3 KTS on the ground speed indication from the IRS's. Once in the alley in front of the other aircraft, he asked for the brakes to be set. We set the brakes and just sat there. I asked if we were cleared to start, he would not respond. After hearing that the towbar was disconnected and sitting for over 1 min, I told the first officer to start #1 engine. At this point. The mechanic asked if I was starting without his permission. I said yes and told him to disconnect. I believe the mechanic was taking a job action to slow the operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLC STARTED AN ENG WITHOUT MECH'S CLRNC. CAPT SUSPECTS MECH WAS SLOWING THE OP DUE TO UNION AND COMPANY FRICTION.

Narrative: THE JETWAY WAS PULLED AT XA53 AS WE HAD A LIGHT LOAD AND WERE READY TO PUSH FOR AN ON-TIME DEP. WE COMPLETED OUR BEFORE PUSH CHKLIST AT XA53. THE MECH PLUGGED INTO THE ACFT ALSO AT XA53, YET HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. AT XA55, I TOLD THE FO TO CALL FOR THE PUSHBACK CLRNC. AT XA55, THE MECH SPOKE UP AND SAID HE WAS READY FOR THE PUSH. I ADVISED OUR CHKLIST WERE COMPLETE AND WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH. HE SAID RELEASE THE BRAKES AND I DID SO. WE WERE IN FRONT OF 3 OTHER ACFT PUSHED BACK INTO THE ALLEY. THE MECH PROCEEDED TO PUSH THE ACFT AT 1-3 KTS ON THE GND SPD INDICATION FROM THE IRS'S. ONCE IN THE ALLEY IN FRONT OF THE OTHER ACFT, HE ASKED FOR THE BRAKES TO BE SET. WE SET THE BRAKES AND JUST SAT THERE. I ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO START, HE WOULD NOT RESPOND. AFTER HEARING THAT THE TOWBAR WAS DISCONNECTED AND SITTING FOR OVER 1 MIN, I TOLD THE FO TO START #1 ENG. AT THIS POINT. THE MECH ASKED IF I WAS STARTING WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION. I SAID YES AND TOLD HIM TO DISCONNECT. I BELIEVE THE MECH WAS TAKING A JOB ACTION TO SLOW THE OP.

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.

An A320 flight crew started an engine without mechanic's clearance. Captain suspects mechanic was slowing the operation due to union and company friction.