A319 flight crew makes emergency stop due to personnel under aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	723021
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	723021
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : person non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After pushback; the ground crew disconnected the tow bar; removed the pin and gave us a wave-off. As I began to taxi; I saw one of the ramp crew; some distance ahead of the aircraft; turn around and start yelling towards the aircraft. The first officer suspected someone might be in front of or under us because of the guy yelling; so I stopped the aircraft. Sure enough; a ramp crew then walked out directly in front of the nose. I have absolutely no idea why he was under there; or why they gave me a wave-off when there were still people near the aircraft. If the first officer hadn't made the observation he did; I would have definitely taxied over the ramper. I don't know why the ramper we could see didn't give me a stop signal. Ground crew must understand the hazards of operating around aircraft and strictly adhere to SOP's. This can only be accomplished with good training and better supervision. As an operating technique of my own; I always turn on the taxi light when I'm about to start moving. This should serve as an additional sign that I am about to move. I did so in this case; but I don't know how effective it was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW MAKES EMER STOP DUE TO PERSONNEL UNDER ACFT.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK; THE GND CREW DISCONNECTED THE TOW BAR; REMOVED THE PIN AND GAVE US A WAVE-OFF. AS I BEGAN TO TAXI; I SAW ONE OF THE RAMP CREW; SOME DISTANCE AHEAD OF THE ACFT; TURN AROUND AND START YELLING TOWARDS THE ACFT. THE FO SUSPECTED SOMEONE MIGHT BE IN FRONT OF OR UNDER US BECAUSE OF THE GUY YELLING; SO I STOPPED THE ACFT. SURE ENOUGH; A RAMP CREW THEN WALKED OUT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE NOSE. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHY HE WAS UNDER THERE; OR WHY THEY GAVE ME A WAVE-OFF WHEN THERE WERE STILL PEOPLE NEAR THE ACFT. IF THE FO HADN'T MADE THE OBSERVATION HE DID; I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY TAXIED OVER THE RAMPER. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE RAMPER WE COULD SEE DIDN'T GIVE ME A STOP SIGNAL. GND CREW MUST UNDERSTAND THE HAZARDS OF OPERATING AROUND ACFT AND STRICTLY ADHERE TO SOP'S. THIS CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH GOOD TRAINING AND BETTER SUPERVISION. AS AN OPERATING TECHNIQUE OF MY OWN; I ALWAYS TURN ON THE TAXI LIGHT WHEN I'M ABOUT TO START MOVING. THIS SHOULD SERVE AS AN ADDITIONAL SIGN THAT I AM ABOUT TO MOVE. I DID SO IN THIS CASE; BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE IT WAS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.