B737-500 flight crew almost had a ground crew walk into a running engine.

Attributes
ACN	614967
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3500 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	614967
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : person non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 5
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

The aircraft was released with an inoperative APU. When we landed, I asked the first officer to remind operations that we had an inoperative APU. The ramp crew was ready to marshall when we got to gate. After stopping the aircraft, I received a 'chocks in' signal from the marshaler. I then noticed him looking at the left wheel well/engine area and signaling to someone in that area. It seemed he was trying to get someone out of that area. It then dawned on me that someone was near the running #1 engine I looked back toward the engine and either saw agent or his shadow (the rippled window kind of blurred the picture). At this point, I quickly shut down the engine. Aircraft lost all power except the battery. I opened the window and asked the ramp supervisor how close the guy got to the engine. His answer 'very close,' so we near ground-up an agent due to either a lack of communication or knowledge. Everyone seemed to know we needed external power. The near grindee, I guess, didn't know #1 engine would run until power was plugged in. This appears to be just another manifestation of the ignorance and apathy that are common on the ewr ramp. I figure that if it keeps up, we will kill someone in the next few yrs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 FLT CREW ALMOST HAD A GND CREW WALK INTO A RUNNING ENG.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS RELEASED WITH AN INOP APU. WHEN WE LANDED, I ASKED THE FO TO REMIND OPS THAT WE HAD AN INOP APU. THE RAMP CREW WAS READY TO MARSHALL WHEN WE GOT TO GATE. AFTER STOPPING THE ACFT, I RECEIVED A 'CHOCKS IN' SIGNAL FROM THE MARSHALER. I THEN NOTICED HIM LOOKING AT THE L WHEEL WELL/ENG AREA AND SIGNALING TO SOMEONE IN THAT AREA. IT SEEMED HE WAS TRYING TO GET SOMEONE OUT OF THAT AREA. IT THEN DAWNED ON ME THAT SOMEONE WAS NEAR THE RUNNING #1 ENG I LOOKED BACK TOWARD THE ENG AND EITHER SAW AGENT OR HIS SHADOW (THE RIPPLED WINDOW KIND OF BLURRED THE PICTURE). AT THIS POINT, I QUICKLY SHUT DOWN THE ENG. ACFT LOST ALL PWR EXCEPT THE BATTERY. I OPENED THE WINDOW AND ASKED THE RAMP SUPVR HOW CLOSE THE GUY GOT TO THE ENG. HIS ANSWER 'VERY CLOSE,' SO WE NEAR GND-UP AN AGENT DUE TO EITHER A LACK OF COM OR KNOWLEDGE. EVERYONE SEEMED TO KNOW WE NEEDED EXTERNAL PWR. THE NEAR GRINDEE, I GUESS, DIDN'T KNOW #1 ENG WOULD RUN UNTIL PWR WAS PLUGGED IN. THIS APPEARS TO BE JUST ANOTHER MANIFESTATION OF THE IGNORANCE AND APATHY THAT ARE COMMON ON THE EWR RAMP. I FIGURE THAT IF IT KEEPS UP, WE WILL KILL SOMEONE IN THE NEXT FEW YRS.

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.