An air carrier flight crew started their engines with all throttles advanced 1 knob. The tow bar was...

Attributes
ACN	245185
Time
Date	199306
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
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	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	245185
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	245348
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During pushback and engine start, the tug driver was maneuvering to avoid some equipment on the ramp. Due to the congestion on the ramp, I was monitoring the outside progress of the aircraft. Unknown to me or my crew, the thrust levers had been moved slightly forward of the idle range. We did not notice that they were advanced approximately 1 knob width due to the fact that they were symmetrical. As the engines were started, and while being pushed back and maneuvered by the tug, forward thrust was produced as the engines spooled up. The tug driver was the first to notice the movement, and called for me to use the brakes and abort the start process. I did so, but not before the tow bar was damaged. (The aircraft, tug and ground personnel were all unharmed.) I will certainly in the future double-check, prior to pushback, to confirm that the thrust levers are indeed in idle. I have also suggested to my company that we institute a policy to make this step a procedure prior to telling the tug driver that it is clear to begin the pushback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC STARTED THEIR ENGS WITH ALL THROTTLES ADVANCED 1 KNOB. THE TOW BAR WAS BENT.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK AND ENG START, THE TUG DRIVER WAS MANEUVERING TO AVOID SOME EQUIP ON THE RAMP. DUE TO THE CONGESTION ON THE RAMP, I WAS MONITORING THE OUTSIDE PROGRESS OF THE ACFT. UNKNOWN TO ME OR MY CREW, THE THRUST LEVERS HAD BEEN MOVED SLIGHTLY FORWARD OF THE IDLE RANGE. WE DID NOT NOTICE THAT THEY WERE ADVANCED APPROX 1 KNOB WIDTH DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE SYMMETRICAL. AS THE ENGS WERE STARTED, AND WHILE BEING PUSHED BACK AND MANEUVERED BY THE TUG, FORWARD THRUST WAS PRODUCED AS THE ENGS SPOOLED UP. THE TUG DRIVER WAS THE FIRST TO NOTICE THE MOVEMENT, AND CALLED FOR ME TO USE THE BRAKES AND ABORT THE START PROCESS. I DID SO, BUT NOT BEFORE THE TOW BAR WAS DAMAGED. (THE ACFT, TUG AND GND PERSONNEL WERE ALL UNHARMED.) I WILL CERTAINLY IN THE FUTURE DOUBLE-CHK, PRIOR TO PUSHBACK, TO CONFIRM THAT THE THRUST LEVERS ARE INDEED IN IDLE. I HAVE ALSO SUGGESTED TO MY COMPANY THAT WE INSTITUTE A POLICY TO MAKE THIS STEP A PROC PRIOR TO TELLING THE TUG DRIVER THAT IT IS CLR TO BEGIN THE PUSHBACK.

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.

An air carrier flight crew started their engines with all throttles advanced 1 knob. The tow bar was bent.