Narrative:

The aircraft APU was inoperative for dispatch so decision was made to start both engines at the gate. I asked the first officer if he would search our new pubs, which were issued on apr/thu/04, for any procedure that applied. However, none existed. Both starts were normal and the after flow was begun. The ground crew was cleared to disconnect electrical power and the ground start unit. I was checking engine instruments when I first perceived movement. At the same time the first officer was accomplishing the after start checklist, he noticed movement and stated 'brakes, brakes.' the aircraft moved forward what we thought was approximately 5 ft before I could stop movement with brakes. The tug was pushed back and had moved a few ft left of the centerline as we came to a stop. I communicated with both the tug driver and the flight attendants about their safety and what happened and the first officer made a PA to the passenger. A mechanic was asked to look/inspect the aircraft and tug for damage. None was found except for a broken shear pin on the tow bar. We continued with the flight and made an information-only write-up in the logbook. A procedure in the ground crew guidance instructs them to coordination the parking brake position with the chock removal and starting engines. This was never accomplished, so the chocks were removed and the brakes were not set, allowing the aircraft to move forward after start. Recommend MD88 set brakes before all starts when stationary and follow written procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFRONTED WITH AN ABNORMAL ENG START PROC FOR WHICH THEIR RECENT COMPANY OPS MANUAL DID NOT PROVIDE A CHKLIST, MD88 FLT CREW FAILS TO ENSURE PARKING BRAKE SET BEFORE ENG START AND ACFT ROLLS FORWARD DAMAGING THE TOW BAR.

Narrative: THE ACFT APU WAS INOP FOR DISPATCH SO DECISION WAS MADE TO START BOTH ENGS AT THE GATE. I ASKED THE FO IF HE WOULD SEARCH OUR NEW PUBS, WHICH WERE ISSUED ON APR/THU/04, FOR ANY PROC THAT APPLIED. HOWEVER, NONE EXISTED. BOTH STARTS WERE NORMAL AND THE AFTER FLOW WAS BEGUN. THE GND CREW WAS CLRED TO DISCONNECT ELECTRICAL PWR AND THE GND START UNIT. I WAS CHKING ENG INSTS WHEN I FIRST PERCEIVED MOVEMENT. AT THE SAME TIME THE FO WAS ACCOMPLISHING THE AFTER START CHKLIST, HE NOTICED MOVEMENT AND STATED 'BRAKES, BRAKES.' THE ACFT MOVED FORWARD WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS APPROX 5 FT BEFORE I COULD STOP MOVEMENT WITH BRAKES. THE TUG WAS PUSHED BACK AND HAD MOVED A FEW FT L OF THE CTRLINE AS WE CAME TO A STOP. I COMMUNICATED WITH BOTH THE TUG DRIVER AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS ABOUT THEIR SAFETY AND WHAT HAPPENED AND THE FO MADE A PA TO THE PAX. A MECH WAS ASKED TO LOOK/INSPECT THE ACFT AND TUG FOR DAMAGE. NONE WAS FOUND EXCEPT FOR A BROKEN SHEAR PIN ON THE TOW BAR. WE CONTINUED WITH THE FLT AND MADE AN INFO-ONLY WRITE-UP IN THE LOGBOOK. A PROC IN THE GND CREW GUIDANCE INSTRUCTS THEM TO COORD THE PARKING BRAKE POS WITH THE CHOCK REMOVAL AND STARTING ENGS. THIS WAS NEVER ACCOMPLISHED, SO THE CHOCKS WERE REMOVED AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT SET, ALLOWING THE ACFT TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER START. RECOMMEND MD88 SET BRAKES BEFORE ALL STARTS WHEN STATIONARY AND FOLLOW WRITTEN PROCS.

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.