Medium large transport begins taxi after engine start without marshaller in sight. Hits gpu.

Attributes
ACN	211192
Time
Date	199205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lih
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	211192
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
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

APU inoperative. Engine start normal. I signaled for gpu disconnect. I indicated 'thumbs up' to signal ready to taxi. Acknowledged on ground. I called for after start checklist. It was accomplished in blocks. First officer asked if I was ready to taxi, I said yes. First officer called for taxi. Marshaller was not in sight, but had acknowledged my thumbs up, and the flight was leaving earlier than scheduled. A loader near gate (I was at) waved at the plane. I cleared left wing from jetway and began to move and then start a right turn. Aircraft hit gpu. First officer had cleared right but gpu truck was parked out of his field of vision. What can be done to prevent future occurrence: air carrier lacks standard taxi procedures and signals. During other than normal starts -- recommend interphone contact with the cockpit. During normal starts, recommend establishment of formal hand signals, and have marshaller remain clearly in view of cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG BEGINS TAXI AFTER ENG START WITHOUT MARSHALLER IN SIGHT. HITS GPU.

Narrative: APU INOP. ENG START NORMAL. I SIGNALED FOR GPU DISCONNECT. I INDICATED 'THUMBS UP' TO SIGNAL READY TO TAXI. ACKNOWLEDGED ON GND. I CALLED FOR AFTER START CHKLIST. IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN BLOCKS. FO ASKED IF I WAS READY TO TAXI, I SAID YES. FO CALLED FOR TAXI. MARSHALLER WAS NOT IN SIGHT, BUT HAD ACKNOWLEDGED MY THUMBS UP, AND THE FLT WAS LEAVING EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED. A LOADER NEAR GATE (I WAS AT) WAVED AT THE PLANE. I CLRED L WING FROM JETWAY AND BEGAN TO MOVE AND THEN START A R TURN. ACFT HIT GPU. FO HAD CLRED R BUT GPU TRUCK WAS PARKED OUT OF HIS FIELD OF VISION. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCE: ACR LACKS STANDARD TAXI PROCS AND SIGNALS. DURING OTHER THAN NORMAL STARTS -- RECOMMEND INTERPHONE CONTACT WITH THE COCKPIT. DURING NORMAL STARTS, RECOMMEND ESTABLISHMENT OF FORMAL HAND SIGNALS, AND HAVE MARSHALLER REMAIN CLRLY IN VIEW OF COCKPIT.

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.