Narrative:

After engine start the mechanic said to me over the interphone; 'check brakes.' I found the parking brake was off and immediately applied the brakes as the aircraft had rolled a foot or two. I asked the mechanic if everyone on the ground was ok and he said yes. I apologized and was unsure what had happened. The first officer and I looked at each other and I asked what we missed. We both then realized that we had missed the before start checklist. We had completed the below the line part of the checklist but must have forgotten the above the line part. In reflection when the mechanic came to the aircraft for starting I looked at the EICAS panel and found that the main cargo light was on. I had forgotten to press the pressurizing switch to off. I went back to turn it off and when I returned; I told him the door lights were out and mechanically said that the brakes were set and the rest of the brief to him. I believe that this distraction me. I was so glad that I had caught the door light I forgot to call for the before start checklist. Fatigue was also a factor as it was XA00 am local and due to the way the trip is built; 24 hours off in layover; we had both been up for over 17 hours at this point. The remainder of the flight was uneventful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CAPT FAILED TO SET THE BRAKES PRIOR TO ENG START AND HE MENTIONED FATIGUE AS A FACTOR.

Narrative: AFTER ENG START THE MECH SAID TO ME OVER THE INTERPHONE; 'CHK BRAKES.' I FOUND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS OFF AND IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES AS THE ACFT HAD ROLLED A FOOT OR TWO. I ASKED THE MECH IF EVERYONE ON THE GND WAS OK AND HE SAID YES. I APOLOGIZED AND WAS UNSURE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE FO AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND I ASKED WHAT WE MISSED. WE BOTH THEN REALIZED THAT WE HAD MISSED THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. WE HAD COMPLETED THE BELOW THE LINE PART OF THE CHKLIST BUT MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN THE ABOVE THE LINE PART. IN REFLECTION WHEN THE MECH CAME TO THE ACFT FOR STARTING I LOOKED AT THE EICAS PANEL AND FOUND THAT THE MAIN CARGO LIGHT WAS ON. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO PRESS THE PRESSURIZING SWITCH TO OFF. I WENT BACK TO TURN IT OFF AND WHEN I RETURNED; I TOLD HIM THE DOOR LIGHTS WERE OUT AND MECHANICALLY SAID THAT THE BRAKES WERE SET AND THE REST OF THE BRIEF TO HIM. I BELIEVE THAT THIS DISTR ME. I WAS SO GLAD THAT I HAD CAUGHT THE DOOR LIGHT I FORGOT TO CALL FOR THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. FATIGUE WAS ALSO A FACTOR AS IT WAS XA00 AM LCL AND DUE TO THE WAY THE TRIP IS BUILT; 24 HRS OFF IN LAYOVER; WE HAD BOTH BEEN UP FOR OVER 17 HRS AT THIS POINT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.