Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff at lga, we were unable to get a start valve light on engine #3. After talking to maintenance via radio, we returned to the hangar line. A mechanic plugged into interphone to determine our problem. He then unplugged. The next communication I heard was on the first officer's overhead speaker. It was a mechanic advising us to start engine #3 and that if it didn't start, we would taxi to a gate to change the starter. The start valve light didn't illuminate. A mechanic then drove from behind the airplane to a point off the nose. We could see he was speaking into his radio. On our radio, we were being told to start engine #1 and #2 and find ourselves a gate. The truck then drove out of our way. After ramp control cleared us to gate X, we began to taxi. After about 50 ft, the truck drove in front of us, the mechanic jumped out and gave us an immediate stop signal. After we stopped, the mechanic plugged in and told us that we had taxied with the engine #3 cowl open, a stand under the engine and 2 mechanics on the stand. No one was injured. No property was damaged. I believe this incident occurred because: 1) complacency between cockpit and mechanic, 2) captain allowing nonstandard communications (VHF radio rather than interphone), 3) interpreting clearance to start engines #1 and #2, find a gate, then the truck driving out of our way as the maintenance all clear. A visual hand salute is standard. Supplemental information from acn 274401: air carrier has given the responsibility of marshalling aircraft to the gate to the baggage handlers. When an aircraft returns to the gate area, there may be as many as 5 separate agencies involved with handling that aircraft, ie., ground control, ramp control, maintenance, baggage, crew. All of which are not in communication with each other nor are they fully aware of the function of the others involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR 727 TAXIED WITH MECHS WORKING ON THE ENG.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF AT LGA, WE WERE UNABLE TO GET A START VALVE LIGHT ON ENG #3. AFTER TALKING TO MAINT VIA RADIO, WE RETURNED TO THE HANGAR LINE. A MECH PLUGGED INTO INTERPHONE TO DETERMINE OUR PROB. HE THEN UNPLUGGED. THE NEXT COM I HEARD WAS ON THE FO'S OVERHEAD SPEAKER. IT WAS A MECH ADVISING US TO START ENG #3 AND THAT IF IT DIDN'T START, WE WOULD TAXI TO A GATE TO CHANGE THE STARTER. THE START VALVE LIGHT DIDN'T ILLUMINATE. A MECH THEN DROVE FROM BEHIND THE AIRPLANE TO A POINT OFF THE NOSE. WE COULD SEE HE WAS SPEAKING INTO HIS RADIO. ON OUR RADIO, WE WERE BEING TOLD TO START ENG #1 AND #2 AND FIND OURSELVES A GATE. THE TRUCK THEN DROVE OUT OF OUR WAY. AFTER RAMP CTL CLRED US TO GATE X, WE BEGAN TO TAXI. AFTER ABOUT 50 FT, THE TRUCK DROVE IN FRONT OF US, THE MECH JUMPED OUT AND GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE STOP SIGNAL. AFTER WE STOPPED, THE MECH PLUGGED IN AND TOLD US THAT WE HAD TAXIED WITH THE ENG #3 COWL OPEN, A STAND UNDER THE ENG AND 2 MECHS ON THE STAND. NO ONE WAS INJURED. NO PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE: 1) COMPLACENCY BTWN COCKPIT AND MECH, 2) CAPT ALLOWING NONSTANDARD COMS (VHF RADIO RATHER THAN INTERPHONE), 3) INTERPRETING CLRNC TO START ENGS #1 AND #2, FIND A GATE, THEN THE TRUCK DRIVING OUT OF OUR WAY AS THE MAINT ALL CLR. A VISUAL HAND SALUTE IS STANDARD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 274401: ACR HAS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MARSHALLING ACFT TO THE GATE TO THE BAGGAGE HANDLERS. WHEN AN ACFT RETURNS TO THE GATE AREA, THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS 5 SEPARATE AGENCIES INVOLVED WITH HANDLING THAT ACFT, IE., GND CTL, RAMP CTL, MAINT, BAGGAGE, CREW. ALL OF WHICH ARE NOT IN COM WITH EACH OTHER NOR ARE THEY FULLY AWARE OF THE FUNCTION OF THE OTHERS INVOLVED.

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.