Narrative:

I was in headset contact with the tug driver. We received clearance from the san ground control to push at our discretion. I told the tug driver that the brakes were released and he was clear to push. We were pushed into the alley facing north. We were given permission to start engines from the tug driver. This was done and the after engine start check was accomplished. The tug driver asked to have the parking brake set, which was done. I told him over the interphone that parking brakes were parked, we had 2 normal starts, and I would see him out front. He did not reply to my first transmission, so it was repeated and he acknowledged that parking brakes were parked and he was disconnecting. The first officer then called for taxi with san ground control. They issued a taxi clearance to turn right and hold short of the first intersection. The first officer confirmed the intersection on his chart. The first officer then told me clear on the right. I released the brakes and started to taxi. I immediately felt a bump, the first officer shouted, 'stop the aircraft', which I did. I then realized that I had started to taxi without a salute from the ground crew. The mistake was entirely mine and after flying as a captain for 12 yrs, I should have known better and not missed such an important check. I am grateful that no one was seriously injured and it was just a nose tire change. I personally apologized to the ground crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CREW, AFTER BEING PUSHED BACK AT SAN, STARTED TAXIING BEFORE THE GND CREW GAVE THE ALL CLR SALUTE.

Narrative: I WAS IN HEADSET CONTACT WITH THE TUG DRIVER. WE RECEIVED CLRNC FROM THE SAN GND CTL TO PUSH AT OUR DISCRETION. I TOLD THE TUG DRIVER THAT THE BRAKES WERE RELEASED AND HE WAS CLR TO PUSH. WE WERE PUSHED INTO THE ALLEY FACING N. WE WERE GIVEN PERMISSION TO START ENGS FROM THE TUG DRIVER. THIS WAS DONE AND THE AFTER ENG START CHK WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE TUG DRIVER ASKED TO HAVE THE PARKING BRAKE SET, WHICH WAS DONE. I TOLD HIM OVER THE INTERPHONE THAT PARKING BRAKES WERE PARKED, WE HAD 2 NORMAL STARTS, AND I WOULD SEE HIM OUT FRONT. HE DID NOT REPLY TO MY FIRST XMISSION, SO IT WAS REPEATED AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PARKING BRAKES WERE PARKED AND HE WAS DISCONNECTING. THE FO THEN CALLED FOR TAXI WITH SAN GND CTL. THEY ISSUED A TAXI CLRNC TO TURN R AND HOLD SHORT OF THE FIRST INTXN. THE FO CONFIRMED THE INTXN ON HIS CHART. THE FO THEN TOLD ME CLR ON THE R. I RELEASED THE BRAKES AND STARTED TO TAXI. I IMMEDIATELY FELT A BUMP, THE FO SHOUTED, 'STOP THE ACFT', WHICH I DID. I THEN REALIZED THAT I HAD STARTED TO TAXI WITHOUT A SALUTE FROM THE GND CREW. THE MISTAKE WAS ENTIRELY MINE AND AFTER FLYING AS A CAPT FOR 12 YRS, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER AND NOT MISSED SUCH AN IMPORTANT CHK. I AM GRATEFUL THAT NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND IT WAS JUST A NOSE TIRE CHANGE. I PERSONALLY APOLOGIZED TO THE GND CREW.

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.