Narrative:

After ground crew released us with a salute and cleared the area we noticed on starting #2 we had no N1 indication and therefore shut down #2. We researched the problem both with maintenance and the MEL. It was a possibility we had to be towed back into the gate. Since we were at the top of the alley I'd advised company ramp on radio of the situation and our possible gate return. Maintenance was advised and someone in a go-cart was at our 11 O'clock on the ramp with a thumbs up, then left the area. After conferring the MEL and maintenance someone on the radio said he'd confirmed N1 was rotating, so we attempted another start. All system were ok, N1 rotation. We then advised ramp and went over to ground. Given clearance to runway 25R via taxiway B, cleared right/left, captain pushed up throttles to start our taxi. Mechanic on go-cart had arms emphatically in 'X' position and people were scattering from under our airplane. Apparently the tow crew came up under our plane and were attempting to connect tow bar without making radio contact. Since we were busy with MEL and maintenance, etc, we never saw them approach the aircraft. I cannot think of anything we, as a crew, could have done differently. I do believe the first thing any ground crew can do when they approach an aircraft is to establish communications -- either via headset or visually. Thank god no one was hurt!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF WDB HAS ENG START PROB AND NOTIFIES RAMP PERSONNEL THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. 1 GND CREW PERSON APPEARED AND WHEN PROB WAS SOLVED, THE FLC CONTACTED GND AND HAVING BEEN GIVEN CLRNC, ADVANCED THROTTLES TO TAXI. APPARENTLY THE TOW CREW HAD ARRIVED UNDER THE ACFT AND WERE ATTEMPTING TO CONNECT THE TOW BAR. THEY RAPIDLY SCATTERED.

Narrative: AFTER GND CREW RELEASED US WITH A SALUTE AND CLRED THE AREA WE NOTICED ON STARTING #2 WE HAD NO N1 INDICATION AND THEREFORE SHUT DOWN #2. WE RESEARCHED THE PROB BOTH WITH MAINT AND THE MEL. IT WAS A POSSIBILITY WE HAD TO BE TOWED BACK INTO THE GATE. SINCE WE WERE AT THE TOP OF THE ALLEY I'D ADVISED COMPANY RAMP ON RADIO OF THE SIT AND OUR POSSIBLE GATE RETURN. MAINT WAS ADVISED AND SOMEONE IN A GO-CART WAS AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK ON THE RAMP WITH A THUMBS UP, THEN LEFT THE AREA. AFTER CONFERRING THE MEL AND MAINT SOMEONE ON THE RADIO SAID HE'D CONFIRMED N1 WAS ROTATING, SO WE ATTEMPTED ANOTHER START. ALL SYS WERE OK, N1 ROTATION. WE THEN ADVISED RAMP AND WENT OVER TO GND. GIVEN CLRNC TO RWY 25R VIA TXWY B, CLRED R/L, CAPT PUSHED UP THROTTLES TO START OUR TAXI. MECH ON GO-CART HAD ARMS EMPHATICALLY IN 'X' POS AND PEOPLE WERE SCATTERING FROM UNDER OUR AIRPLANE. APPARENTLY THE TOW CREW CAME UP UNDER OUR PLANE AND WERE ATTEMPTING TO CONNECT TOW BAR WITHOUT MAKING RADIO CONTACT. SINCE WE WERE BUSY WITH MEL AND MAINT, ETC, WE NEVER SAW THEM APCH THE ACFT. I CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING WE, AS A CREW, COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY. I DO BELIEVE THE FIRST THING ANY GND CREW CAN DO WHEN THEY APCH AN ACFT IS TO ESTABLISH COMS -- EITHER VIA HEADSET OR VISUALLY. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT!

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.