Narrative:

Aircraft (dc-9-31) was scheduled to depart iln XA06 to dsm with an intermediate stop at cid. All preflight requirements were complied with including weight and balance and the 'before start checklist.' both engines were started. While the first officer was completing the 'after start' checklist. I was visually ensuring that no obstacles were in our intended taxi path. Before we intended to start the taxi, the airplane had started an unintended and unnoticed slow roll forward, and after a ground roll of plus or minus 5 ft came to a stop against a van which had been parked closely forward and to the right of the plane. The first officer had been aware of the position of this van, but because we were not yet given the all clear sign from ground personnel and we had not yet intended to start our taxi, it was at that time not important. Although we both (first officer and captain) are sure that the brakes were set prior to engine start, we noticed after the incident that the parking brake was released. After ground personnel disconnected from the flight intercom and in anticipation of the next phase (ie, taxi to the active runway) I must have inadvertanly released the parking brake. The only damage to the plane was a cracked radome. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the only damage was to the radome and the captain reports that it was changed and repaired. The FAA did investigate, but decided to allow the company handle the corrective action. No injuries and minor property damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DAMAGED -- ACR STARTS ENGS AND ROLLS FORWARD INTO A GND VEHICLE.

Narrative: ACFT (DC-9-31) WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART ILN XA06 TO DSM WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STOP AT CID. ALL PREFLT REQUIREMENTS WERE COMPLIED WITH INCLUDING WT AND BAL AND THE 'BEFORE START CHKLIST.' BOTH ENGS WERE STARTED. WHILE THE FO WAS COMPLETING THE 'AFTER START' CHKLIST. I WAS VISUALLY ENSURING THAT NO OBSTACLES WERE IN OUR INTENDED TAXI PATH. BEFORE WE INTENDED TO START THE TAXI, THE AIRPLANE HAD STARTED AN UNINTENDED AND UNNOTICED SLOW ROLL FORWARD, AND AFTER A GND ROLL OF PLUS OR MINUS 5 FT CAME TO A STOP AGAINST A VAN WHICH HAD BEEN PARKED CLOSELY FORWARD AND TO THE R OF THE PLANE. THE FO HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE POS OF THIS VAN, BUT BECAUSE WE WERE NOT YET GIVEN THE ALL CLR SIGN FROM GND PERSONNEL AND WE HAD NOT YET INTENDED TO START OUR TAXI, IT WAS AT THAT TIME NOT IMPORTANT. ALTHOUGH WE BOTH (FO AND CAPT) ARE SURE THAT THE BRAKES WERE SET PRIOR TO ENG START, WE NOTICED AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS RELEASED. AFTER GND PERSONNEL DISCONNECTED FROM THE FLT INTERCOM AND IN ANTICIPATION OF THE NEXT PHASE (IE, TAXI TO THE ACTIVE RWY) I MUST HAVE INADVERTANLY RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE PLANE WAS A CRACKED RADOME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE RADOME AND THE CAPT RPTS THAT IT WAS CHANGED AND REPAIRED. THE FAA DID INVESTIGATE, BUT DECIDED TO ALLOW THE COMPANY HANDLE THE CORRECTIVE ACTION. NO INJURIES AND MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

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.