B737-300 flight crew has ground personnel approach aircraft with engine running.

Attributes
ACN	701929
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	701929
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Pushed back normally from gate. Tug driver was difficult to understand as english was a second language. He cleared us to start engines. We started engine #2 with the intent to taxi single engine. As engine #2 was about to complete the start; we noticed another tug driving up with what appeared to be 1 more bag to load. I instructed the push tug driver to tell the ramper not to approach the airplane as we had engine #2 running and that I would advise when the engine was shut down and it was safe to approach. We then shut down the engine. As the engine was decelerating through about 35% N2 we noticed the forward cargo door light illuminate. I immediately told the push tug driver to yell at the ramper again to get away from the engine. Within a few seconds the cargo door light went off and the ramper drove off on his tug. I asked the push tug driver why he allowed the ramper to approach the airplane and his response was; 'I have no control over him.' I tried to explain to him how dangerous it is to be in front of a running engine and that anyone can be sucked in. I felt I was talking to deaf ears. I don't know if the ramper couldn't understand him or if he just ignored him; but in any case we can't have ramp personnel indiscriminately walking up to running engines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS GND PERSONNEL APPROACH ACFT WITH ENG RUNNING.

Narrative: PUSHED BACK NORMALLY FROM GATE. TUG DRIVER WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AS ENGLISH WAS A SECOND LANGUAGE. HE CLRED US TO START ENGS. WE STARTED ENG #2 WITH THE INTENT TO TAXI SINGLE ENG. AS ENG #2 WAS ABOUT TO COMPLETE THE START; WE NOTICED ANOTHER TUG DRIVING UP WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE 1 MORE BAG TO LOAD. I INSTRUCTED THE PUSH TUG DRIVER TO TELL THE RAMPER NOT TO APPROACH THE AIRPLANE AS WE HAD ENG #2 RUNNING AND THAT I WOULD ADVISE WHEN THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN AND IT WAS SAFE TO APPROACH. WE THEN SHUT DOWN THE ENG. AS THE ENG WAS DECELERATING THROUGH ABOUT 35% N2 WE NOTICED THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE PUSH TUG DRIVER TO YELL AT THE RAMPER AGAIN TO GET AWAY FROM THE ENG. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE CARGO DOOR LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE RAMPER DROVE OFF ON HIS TUG. I ASKED THE PUSH TUG DRIVER WHY HE ALLOWED THE RAMPER TO APPROACH THE AIRPLANE AND HIS RESPONSE WAS; 'I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER HIM.' I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIM HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO BE IN FRONT OF A RUNNING ENG AND THAT ANYONE CAN BE SUCKED IN. I FELT I WAS TALKING TO DEAF EARS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE RAMPER COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HIM OR IF HE JUST IGNORED HIM; BUT IN ANY CASE WE CAN'T HAVE RAMP PERSONNEL INDISCRIMINATELY WALKING UP TO RUNNING ENGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.