Air carrier on push back hits baggage cart.

Attributes
ACN	166367
Time
Date	199012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	166367
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After pushing off the gate the marshaller had the captain (me) set the brakes so more baggage could be loaded. Engine start procedures completed. Deice procedures discussed. At this time I looked up to get an okay from the marshaller to taxi. A baggage tug was driving off. I called 3 times on the intercom to see if the marshaller was still there. No response. Tug driving off, no radio contact with marshaller, and no visibility contact with marshaller I assumed he was gone and we were cleared to taxi. Upon taxi a baggage cart (not visible) was struck by the right wing. Aircraft stopped. No injuries. Aircraft pulled back to gate and deplaned. What else can I say, indications appeared as if I was clear. I assumed the marshaller had already cleared us off. Strict adherence to procedures would have prevented this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON PUSH BACK HITS BAGGAGE CART.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHING OFF THE GATE THE MARSHALLER HAD THE CAPT (ME) SET THE BRAKES SO MORE BAGGAGE COULD BE LOADED. ENG START PROCS COMPLETED. DEICE PROCS DISCUSSED. AT THIS TIME I LOOKED UP TO GET AN OKAY FROM THE MARSHALLER TO TAXI. A BAGGAGE TUG WAS DRIVING OFF. I CALLED 3 TIMES ON THE INTERCOM TO SEE IF THE MARSHALLER WAS STILL THERE. NO RESPONSE. TUG DRIVING OFF, NO RADIO CONTACT WITH MARSHALLER, AND NO VIS CONTACT WITH MARSHALLER I ASSUMED HE WAS GONE AND WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI. UPON TAXI A BAGGAGE CART (NOT VISIBLE) WAS STRUCK BY THE R WING. ACFT STOPPED. NO INJURIES. ACFT PULLED BACK TO GATE AND DEPLANED. WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY, INDICATIONS APPEARED AS IF I WAS CLR. I ASSUMED THE MARSHALLER HAD ALREADY CLRED US OFF. STRICT ADHERENCE TO PROCS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.