Narrative:

5 mins prior to scheduled departure, the mechanic on the ground signaled the captain for brake release (doors were closed and we were ready to go). Assuming mechanic was trying to help with an on-time departure and with the doors closed and the jetway pulled, the captain released the brakes. Expecting communication with push crew via headset momentarily, first officer requested push clearance via ACARS and it was received and rotating beacon was turned on. After a few mins with no communication from ground crew, first officer called ramp to cancel push clearance and then operations to request push crew. Several mins later, captain opened his cockpit window and asked the mechanic (same one who gave brake release signal -- he was just standing around) if he knew where our push crew was. He said he was going to push us and asked if we were cleared to push. Captain replied yes, expecting him to contact him on headset. Mechanic said cleared to start 1 and 2 and immediately got in the tug and commenced pushing the aircraft back without any additional communication. Captain sounded the call horn several times to try to stop him but he did not respond. Mechanic pushed aircraft back and then got out of tug and gave signal to set brakes. Captain set brakes. Due to chatter on ramp frequency, first officer and captain were unable to inform ramp of pushback until after the fact. ATC replied expect west taxi and call when ready. First officer advised company mechanic had pushed us back without clearance. We started engines, mechanic gave salute and release from guidance, we received taxi clearance and taxied to runway. Prior to closing the door, the mechanic never communicated to us that we would push using hand signals. During the pushback there were no other aircraft moving on the ramp. First officer also told operations that we would file a report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 IS PUSHED BACK BY GND CREW WITHOUT A CLRNC FROM ATC OR THE FLT CREW DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING.

Narrative: 5 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP, THE MECH ON THE GND SIGNALED THE CAPT FOR BRAKE RELEASE (DOORS WERE CLOSED AND WE WERE READY TO GO). ASSUMING MECH WAS TRYING TO HELP WITH AN ON-TIME DEP AND WITH THE DOORS CLOSED AND THE JETWAY PULLED, THE CAPT RELEASED THE BRAKES. EXPECTING COM WITH PUSH CREW VIA HEADSET MOMENTARILY, FO REQUESTED PUSH CLRNC VIA ACARS AND IT WAS RECEIVED AND ROTATING BEACON WAS TURNED ON. AFTER A FEW MINS WITH NO COM FROM GND CREW, FO CALLED RAMP TO CANCEL PUSH CLRNC AND THEN OPS TO REQUEST PUSH CREW. SEVERAL MINS LATER, CAPT OPENED HIS COCKPIT WINDOW AND ASKED THE MECH (SAME ONE WHO GAVE BRAKE RELEASE SIGNAL -- HE WAS JUST STANDING AROUND) IF HE KNEW WHERE OUR PUSH CREW WAS. HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO PUSH US AND ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH. CAPT REPLIED YES, EXPECTING HIM TO CONTACT HIM ON HEADSET. MECH SAID CLRED TO START 1 AND 2 AND IMMEDIATELY GOT IN THE TUG AND COMMENCED PUSHING THE ACFT BACK WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL COM. CAPT SOUNDED THE CALL HORN SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY TO STOP HIM BUT HE DID NOT RESPOND. MECH PUSHED ACFT BACK AND THEN GOT OUT OF TUG AND GAVE SIGNAL TO SET BRAKES. CAPT SET BRAKES. DUE TO CHATTER ON RAMP FREQ, FO AND CAPT WERE UNABLE TO INFORM RAMP OF PUSHBACK UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. ATC REPLIED EXPECT W TAXI AND CALL WHEN READY. FO ADVISED COMPANY MECH HAD PUSHED US BACK WITHOUT CLRNC. WE STARTED ENGS, MECH GAVE SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE, WE RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC AND TAXIED TO RWY. PRIOR TO CLOSING THE DOOR, THE MECH NEVER COMMUNICATED TO US THAT WE WOULD PUSH USING HAND SIGNALS. DURING THE PUSHBACK THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT MOVING ON THE RAMP. FO ALSO TOLD OPS THAT WE WOULD FILE A 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.