Without notice; a cargo maintenance crew removed the chocks before an external airstart. The aircraf...

Narrative:

APU was deferred and we started all 3 engines in the blocks. I believed that the aircraft was connected to the tug. As we started the number 1 engine the ground maintenance personnel informed us that he thought the aircraft was beginning to roll. Captain applied brakes and informed ground brakes were now set and inquired as whether the chocks were removed (I believe he also asked if tug was connected but not sure). Maintenance said chocks were removed. Captain and ground calmly discussed why chocks were removed without our knowledge and why we weren't connected to tug. Continued start and departed uneventfully. I believe the miscommunication between ground and cockpit caused this event. I was absolutely certain we were connected to tug (we were not) and I am still certain we were never told the chocks were removed. The note in the external air-start saying parking brake should be set should be a warning and the ground and cockpit should absolutely know configuration of outside equipment and chocks. Any time your normal habit pattern is broken; i.e. APU deferred and external air start; you should be extra vigilant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Without notice; a Cargo Maintenance crew removed the chocks before an external airstart. The aircraft then began rolling with the first engine start because the brakes were also not set.

Narrative: APU was deferred and we started all 3 engines in the blocks. I believed that the aircraft was connected to the tug. As we started the Number 1 Engine the Ground Maintenance personnel informed us that he thought the aircraft was beginning to roll. Captain applied brakes and informed ground brakes were now set and inquired as whether the chocks were removed (I believe he also asked if tug was connected but not sure). Maintenance said chocks were removed. Captain and ground calmly discussed why chocks were removed without our knowledge and why we weren't connected to tug. Continued start and departed uneventfully. I believe the miscommunication between ground and cockpit caused this event. I was absolutely certain we were connected to tug (we were not) and I am still certain we were never told the chocks were removed. The note in the external air-start saying parking brake should be set should be a warning and the ground and cockpit should absolutely know configuration of outside equipment and chocks. Any time your normal habit pattern is broken; i.e. APU deferred and external air start; you should be extra vigilant.

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	1121156
Time
Date	201310
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Parking Brake
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Maintenance Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown

Without notice; a cargo maintenance crew removed the chocks before an external airstart. The aircraft then began rolling with the first engine start because the brakes were also not set.