Narrative:

Just prior to push from C24, purser informed us that there was a passenger that was armed (pcfa) with no paperwork and no notification to crew. I called ramp and informed him of problem. Ramp requested that we push off the gate but stay on his frequency and not contact metering, and that he would consult with supervisor. I cleared mechanic to push and he cleared us to start engine #1. During push, concerned purser called to say 'pcfa' had papers for firearm but for different flight. I relayed to ramp. Mechanic completed push and asked for parking brake and cleared us to start #2 engine. I asked him to stand by while we resolved 'pcfa' problem. I talked to purser and ramp for the next few mins to resolve the problem. When all parties were satisfied that it was ok to continue, I told first officer to call for taxi clearance. We received clearance and I released parking brake and brought up power. Immediately heard abnormal noise. Power to idle and parking brake set. Asked mechanic if he was alright. He said he was ok but towbar broken and 1 nosewheel cracked. After 40 mins, towed back to gate. Human factors: my desire to minimize delay and unwisely allowing the perceived threat of an unknown 'pcfa' to override SOP. My error caused greater delay and expense and, more importantly, could have caused injury.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC ATTEMPTS TO TAXI WITH TOW BAR AND TUG ATTACHED TO ACFT. ACFT DAMAGE OCCURRED.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO PUSH FROM C24, PURSER INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A PAX THAT WAS ARMED (PCFA) WITH NO PAPERWORK AND NO NOTIFICATION TO CREW. I CALLED RAMP AND INFORMED HIM OF PROB. RAMP REQUESTED THAT WE PUSH OFF THE GATE BUT STAY ON HIS FREQ AND NOT CONTACT METERING, AND THAT HE WOULD CONSULT WITH SUPVR. I CLRED MECH TO PUSH AND HE CLRED US TO START ENG #1. DURING PUSH, CONCERNED PURSER CALLED TO SAY 'PCFA' HAD PAPERS FOR FIREARM BUT FOR DIFFERENT FLT. I RELAYED TO RAMP. MECH COMPLETED PUSH AND ASKED FOR PARKING BRAKE AND CLRED US TO START #2 ENG. I ASKED HIM TO STAND BY WHILE WE RESOLVED 'PCFA' PROB. I TALKED TO PURSER AND RAMP FOR THE NEXT FEW MINS TO RESOLVE THE PROB. WHEN ALL PARTIES WERE SATISFIED THAT IT WAS OK TO CONTINUE, I TOLD FO TO CALL FOR TAXI CLRNC. WE RECEIVED CLRNC AND I RELEASED PARKING BRAKE AND BROUGHT UP PWR. IMMEDIATELY HEARD ABNORMAL NOISE. PWR TO IDLE AND PARKING BRAKE SET. ASKED MECH IF HE WAS ALRIGHT. HE SAID HE WAS OK BUT TOWBAR BROKEN AND 1 NOSEWHEEL CRACKED. AFTER 40 MINS, TOWED BACK TO GATE. HUMAN FACTORS: MY DESIRE TO MINIMIZE DELAY AND UNWISELY ALLOWING THE PERCEIVED THREAT OF AN UNKNOWN 'PCFA' TO OVERRIDE SOP. MY ERROR CAUSED GREATER DELAY AND EXPENSE AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, COULD HAVE CAUSED 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.