Captain of a B737-400 started taxiing prior to pushback ground disconnect.

Attributes
ACN	360935
Time
Date	199702
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
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 : 50 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	360935
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our company has recently instituted ICAO pushback procedures on IOE with first officer (captain returning from medical leave of 19 months). Pushed back from gate X in clt on last leg of 13 hours 40 mins duty day on first day of trip. WX -ip, rain temperature 0 degree C. After pushback told ground to standby for disconnect. When second engine started I told him to disconnect, however, my transmit button was on #1 communication not interphone (do not remember why or how). Also at same time I was busy with after start and deicing discussion procedures. I released brakes but at same time remembered I had not received thumbs up signal. I immediately set brakes -- no injuries to ground person or damage. Several human factor issues here: first day of IOE, long duty day, irritable flight attendant, concern for WX, runway and taxiway conditions, pretkof check, new procedures since first officer had last flown and workload management. Suggest ground person stay in view of captain during pushback as cue for captain and also his safety -- also flag be placed on pushback tug.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B737-400 STARTED TAXIING PRIOR TO PUSHBACK GND DISCONNECT.

Narrative: OUR COMPANY HAS RECENTLY INSTITUTED ICAO PUSHBACK PROCS ON IOE WITH FO (CAPT RETURNING FROM MEDICAL LEAVE OF 19 MONTHS). PUSHED BACK FROM GATE X IN CLT ON LAST LEG OF 13 HRS 40 MINS DUTY DAY ON FIRST DAY OF TRIP. WX -IP, RAIN TEMP 0 DEG C. AFTER PUSHBACK TOLD GND TO STANDBY FOR DISCONNECT. WHEN SECOND ENG STARTED I TOLD HIM TO DISCONNECT, HOWEVER, MY XMIT BUTTON WAS ON #1 COM NOT INTERPHONE (DO NOT REMEMBER WHY OR HOW). ALSO AT SAME TIME I WAS BUSY WITH AFTER START AND DEICING DISCUSSION PROCS. I RELEASED BRAKES BUT AT SAME TIME REMEMBERED I HAD NOT RECEIVED THUMBS UP SIGNAL. I IMMEDIATELY SET BRAKES -- NO INJURIES TO GND PERSON OR DAMAGE. SEVERAL HUMAN FACTOR ISSUES HERE: FIRST DAY OF IOE, LONG DUTY DAY, IRRITABLE FLT ATTENDANT, CONCERN FOR WX, RWY AND TXWY CONDITIONS, PRETKOF CHK, NEW PROCS SINCE FO HAD LAST FLOWN AND WORKLOAD MGMNT. SUGGEST GND PERSON STAY IN VIEW OF CAPT DURING PUSHBACK AS CUE FOR CAPT AND ALSO HIS SAFETY -- ALSO FLAG BE PLACED ON PUSHBACK TUG.

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.