Narrative:

On arrival to aircraft, we noted flags to not reset flaps or hydraulics. During cockpit setup, the so saw ground personnel gesturing to raise the flaps. So shouted through window to ask if area was clear to raise flaps, ground person repeated gesture to raise flaps. The ground interconnect was opened, B pumps on and the flap handle up. Soon a mechanic came to the jetway to ask why flaps were moving when they were working on them. The B pumps were immediately turned off and the interconnect closed. The ground person wanting the flaps up turned out to be a fueler and not a mechanic. It is common for pilots to be asked to move switches to help mechanics working on an aircraft at the gate. This could have been a disaster. I will no longer allow switches to be moved in a situation like this without a face to face through briefing with the mechanics directly involved. Ramp supervisor and maintenance supervisor have asked for copies of this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WHILE PARKED ON GATE WAS REQUESTED BY A FUELER TO 'RAISE THE FLAPS.' CREW OPERATED FLAPS WITH TECHNICIANS STILL WORKING ON TRAILING EDGE FLAPS.

Narrative: ON ARR TO ACFT, WE NOTED FLAGS TO NOT RESET FLAPS OR HYDS. DURING COCKPIT SETUP, THE SO SAW GND PERSONNEL GESTURING TO RAISE THE FLAPS. SO SHOUTED THROUGH WINDOW TO ASK IF AREA WAS CLR TO RAISE FLAPS, GND PERSON REPEATED GESTURE TO RAISE FLAPS. THE GND INTERCONNECT WAS OPENED, B PUMPS ON AND THE FLAP HANDLE UP. SOON A MECH CAME TO THE JETWAY TO ASK WHY FLAPS WERE MOVING WHEN THEY WERE WORKING ON THEM. THE B PUMPS WERE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AND THE INTERCONNECT CLOSED. THE GND PERSON WANTING THE FLAPS UP TURNED OUT TO BE A FUELER AND NOT A MECH. IT IS COMMON FOR PLTS TO BE ASKED TO MOVE SWITCHES TO HELP MECHS WORKING ON AN ACFT AT THE GATE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. I WILL NO LONGER ALLOW SWITCHES TO BE MOVED IN A SIT LIKE THIS WITHOUT A FACE TO FACE THROUGH BRIEFING WITH THE MECHS DIRECTLY INVOLVED. RAMP SUPVR AND MAINT SUPVR HAVE ASKED FOR COPIES OF THIS RPT.

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.