Narrative:

I was told by ground personnel that the aircraft was rolling. I immediately put my feet on the brakes and they felt very mushy and nothing was happening. The middle observer and I both reached up to turn the number 4 hydraulics to auxiliary and the aircraft came to an immediate stop and I set the brakes. It happened so quickly I am not sure if the brakes were set prior to me putting my feet on them. I recall being interrupted during my flow at about the parking brake set portion; but also remember starting there and continuing. At the time of the event we had not run any checklist but were just about to. The ground crew asked to remove the chocks and also asked me twice if the parking brake was set. I remember glancing both times and saying yes; but I believe I was going from my memory of setting them and I don't think I properly looked. After engine start I was still a bit flustered from the event and it was very dark and poorly lighted outside. I initially did not do the best job following the ground crew hand signals until things settled down. Once out of the parking ramp; the remainder of the flight went uneventfully.I just read the special interest items from safety last week and thought to myself I have good habits; this won't happen to me. Well; it did! Luckily no one was injured and nothing was damaged. The observers on this flight had flown a majority of the previous leg so that we could be well rested for the following late night flight after a 3 hour turn. I laid in the bunk for all my rest period but was unable to sleep. I did feel adequately rested for the flight as I had slept great prior to wake up. I had been flying a lot over the past several days and made two crossings over the atlantic. I believe after the long duty day and dark hours I could have been susceptible to making errors. I know I was not feeling at my best a game. I have learned the hard way the importance of taking your time and properly ensuring that everything is set the way that it should be and not how you think it is during late hours and a long day. When the ground crew asked me twice if the parking brake was set I should have gotten a second clue to look harder. My only suggestion to the ground crew is to have perhaps have said after the first time that he does not see the brakes on light by the nose gear. That may have given me the clue to look again harder. Sometimes we look and don't see; and that is a very dangerous habit to fall into.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 Captain reported the aircraft started rolling while at the parking ramp.

Narrative: I was told by ground personnel that the aircraft was rolling. I immediately put my feet on the brakes and they felt very mushy and nothing was happening. The middle observer and I both reached up to turn the number 4 hydraulics to AUX and the aircraft came to an immediate stop and I set the brakes. It happened so quickly I am not sure if the brakes were set prior to me putting my feet on them. I recall being interrupted during my flow at about the parking brake set portion; but also remember starting there and continuing. At the time of the event we had not run any checklist but were just about to. The ground crew asked to remove the chocks and also asked me twice if the parking brake was set. I remember glancing both times and saying yes; but I believe I was going from my memory of setting them and I don't think I properly looked. After engine start I was still a bit flustered from the event and it was very dark and poorly lighted outside. I initially did not do the best job following the ground crew hand signals until things settled down. Once out of the parking ramp; the remainder of the flight went uneventfully.I just read the special interest items from safety last week and thought to myself I have good habits; this won't happen to me. Well; it did! Luckily no one was injured and nothing was damaged. The observers on this flight had flown a majority of the previous leg so that we could be well rested for the following late night flight after a 3 hour turn. I laid in the bunk for all my rest period but was unable to sleep. I did feel adequately rested for the flight as I had slept great prior to wake up. I had been flying a lot over the past several days and made two crossings over the Atlantic. I believe after the long duty day and dark hours I could have been susceptible to making errors. I know I was not feeling at my best A game. I have learned the hard way the importance of taking your time and properly ensuring that everything is set the way that it should be and not how you think it is during late hours and a long day. When the ground crew asked me twice if the parking brake was set I should have gotten a second clue to look harder. My only suggestion to the ground crew is to have perhaps have said after the first time that he does not see the brakes on light by the nose gear. That may have given me the clue to look again harder. Sometimes we look and don't see; and that is a very dangerous habit to fall into.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.