Narrative:

I was captain on flight sna-sea. We arrived at the sna airport 1 hour before push. I went off operations to complete the paperwork. As we were briefing the departure and accomplishing the checklists, we were interrupted by the gate agent, who wanted to close early. The jetway was pulled back and the ground crew stated the walkaround was complete. At this time, I told the ground crew 'brakes released and hold the push.' I then released the brakes and was about to call for the 'prior to push checklist' when I realized I really needed to go to the restroom right away and could not wait to top of climb. The jet was securely connected to the stationary tug who had been instructed to hold the push and had responded with a positive confirmation. I told the first officer I had to go to the lavatory and undid my seatbelt and went aft. While I was in the lavatory, the ground crew started an uncommanded push of the jet. This was quickly stopped by the first officer and we only moved about 5 ft. I quickly returned to the flight deck, strapped in and called for the 'prior to push' checklist and completed the pushback. In retrospect, I should have reset the parking brake before I left my seat, but since the jet was not moving and was secured to the tug, I felt comfortable with my decision. Additionally, the first officer was in his seat and strapped in. The ground crew spoke with a foreign accent and might have misunderstood my command after thinking about it, although I have never had this problem before. Lastly, we both felt rushed and distraction due to the late arriving aircraft and light passenger load (10/35) which meant a quick boarding and no chance of a final restroom break.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 CAPT RPTED THAT THE GND CREW STARTED THE PUSHBACK AFTER HE HAD DECIDED TO GO TO THE LAVATORY.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON FLT SNA-SEA. WE ARRIVED AT THE SNA ARPT 1 HR BEFORE PUSH. I WENT OFF OPS TO COMPLETE THE PAPERWORK. AS WE WERE BRIEFING THE DEP AND ACCOMPLISHING THE CHKLISTS, WE WERE INTERRUPTED BY THE GATE AGENT, WHO WANTED TO CLOSE EARLY. THE JETWAY WAS PULLED BACK AND THE GND CREW STATED THE WALKAROUND WAS COMPLETE. AT THIS TIME, I TOLD THE GND CREW 'BRAKES RELEASED AND HOLD THE PUSH.' I THEN RELEASED THE BRAKES AND WAS ABOUT TO CALL FOR THE 'PRIOR TO PUSH CHKLIST' WHEN I REALIZED I REALLY NEEDED TO GO TO THE RESTROOM RIGHT AWAY AND COULD NOT WAIT TO TOP OF CLB. THE JET WAS SECURELY CONNECTED TO THE STATIONARY TUG WHO HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO HOLD THE PUSH AND HAD RESPONDED WITH A POSITIVE CONFIRMATION. I TOLD THE FO I HAD TO GO TO THE LAVATORY AND UNDID MY SEATBELT AND WENT AFT. WHILE I WAS IN THE LAVATORY, THE GND CREW STARTED AN UNCOMMANDED PUSH OF THE JET. THIS WAS QUICKLY STOPPED BY THE FO AND WE ONLY MOVED ABOUT 5 FT. I QUICKLY RETURNED TO THE FLT DECK, STRAPPED IN AND CALLED FOR THE 'PRIOR TO PUSH' CHKLIST AND COMPLETED THE PUSHBACK. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE RESET THE PARKING BRAKE BEFORE I LEFT MY SEAT, BUT SINCE THE JET WAS NOT MOVING AND WAS SECURED TO THE TUG, I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH MY DECISION. ADDITIONALLY, THE FO WAS IN HIS SEAT AND STRAPPED IN. THE GND CREW SPOKE WITH A FOREIGN ACCENT AND MIGHT HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD MY COMMAND AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROB BEFORE. LASTLY, WE BOTH FELT RUSHED AND DISTR DUE TO THE LATE ARRIVING ACFT AND LIGHT PAX LOAD (10/35) WHICH MEANT A QUICK BOARDING AND NO CHANCE OF A FINAL RESTROOM BREAK.

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.