Maintenance personnel failed to ensure the right engine start switch was correctly positioned after ...

Narrative:

Approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled push time; I started the APU and placed the aircraft electronics on the APU generator. The APU bleed was switched to on after operating for greater than a minute. Shortly thereafter; a ground crew member asked if we had been cleared to start an engine; then stated an engine was turning; and there was no anti-collision light on. Both pilots responded 'no' to his question. I then saw the number two engine start switch was in the ground position and immediately moved it to the off position. The ground crew member exited the cockpit.maintenance had been performed on the number two thrust reverser prior to the arrival of the originating flight crew. Both pilots reviewed the preflight flows in the aom; but found no requirement for either pilot to ensure the correct position of the start switches prior to starting and using the APU. I could find no requirement for checking the position of the start switches until the after engine start flows.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Maintenance personnel failed to ensure the right engine start switch was correctly positioned after performing maintenance on the thrust reverser. The engine began to motor when the First Officer started the APU and opened the APU bleed five minutes prior to scheduled departure.

Narrative: Approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled push time; I started the APU and placed the aircraft electronics on the APU generator. The APU Bleed was switched to on after operating for greater than a minute. Shortly thereafter; a Ground Crew Member asked if we had been cleared to start an engine; then stated an engine was turning; and there was no anti-collision light on. Both pilots responded 'no' to his question. I then saw the number two engine start switch was in the GND position and immediately moved it to the off position. The Ground Crew Member exited the cockpit.Maintenance had been performed on the number two thrust reverser prior to the arrival of the originating flight crew. Both pilots reviewed the preflight flows in the AOM; but found no requirement for either pilot to ensure the correct position of the start switches prior to starting and using the APU. I could find no requirement for checking the position of the start switches until the after engine start flows.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1041733
Time
Date	201210
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Engine Air Starter
Person 1
Function	First Officer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 64
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Maintenance Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown

Maintenance personnel failed to ensure the right engine start switch was correctly positioned after performing maintenance on the thrust reverser. The engine began to motor when the first officer started the APU and opened the APU bleed five minutes prior to scheduled departure.