Narrative:

Once the paperwork for this flight was completed and handed out; we closed the doors and attempted to make contact with the push crew via headset without success. I was able to get the attention of 2 ramp personnel for the purpose of a brake release hand signal but the first (with wands) did not respond properly. When the second responded with an affirmative return of the signal; I released the brakes and called for the final portion of the before start checklist. Before we had even completed those few lines; I noticed that we were starting to move. I tried to get someone's attention via headset/flashing lights and; by pure gut instinct; tapped the brakes. We came to a stop and I opened the 'dv' window to speak with the ramp personnel who were having difficulty with their headsets. I immediately apologized for using the brakes and asked if anybody was hurt and if the aircraft or tug were damaged. They assured me everything was ok. A supervisor arrived with another headset and the push crew members told him what happened. A few moments later; one of the crew members got on the headset and asked me why I used the brakes. Once again; I asked if everyone was ok and explained that we hadn't received push clearance nor had we given a push signal. The only signals I had given were the brake release signal and a headset request signal. I then asked to speak with the supervisor. Speaking with the supervisor; I reminded him of our requirement to have headsets or a face-to-face conference reviewing signals. He told me that they understood the brake release signal to mean ok to push and we discussed the facts that those signals are clearly described in our manual and that the ramp in question is controled. The remainder of the push was done with a headset and no other problems were experienced. I know that injuries and damage could occur when using aircraft brakes during a push and feel that my actions compromised safety but it was done without thinking. It is important that all personnel review the manuals regarding push procedures and it would be good to test headsets early in the process. I; for one; will insist on a face-to face prior to using any hand signals from now on.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERJ170 FLT CREW APPLIES THE BRAKES DURING PUSHBACK AT CYUL.

Narrative: ONCE THE PAPERWORK FOR THIS FLT WAS COMPLETED AND HANDED OUT; WE CLOSED THE DOORS AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PUSH CREW VIA HEADSET WITHOUT SUCCESS. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE ATTN OF 2 RAMP PERSONNEL FOR THE PURPOSE OF A BRAKE RELEASE HAND SIGNAL BUT THE FIRST (WITH WANDS) DID NOT RESPOND PROPERLY. WHEN THE SECOND RESPONDED WITH AN AFFIRMATIVE RETURN OF THE SIGNAL; I RELEASED THE BRAKES AND CALLED FOR THE FINAL PORTION OF THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. BEFORE WE HAD EVEN COMPLETED THOSE FEW LINES; I NOTICED THAT WE WERE STARTING TO MOVE. I TRIED TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTN VIA HEADSET/FLASHING LIGHTS AND; BY PURE GUT INSTINCT; TAPPED THE BRAKES. WE CAME TO A STOP AND I OPENED THE 'DV' WINDOW TO SPEAK WITH THE RAMP PERSONNEL WHO WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THEIR HEADSETS. I IMMEDIATELY APOLOGIZED FOR USING THE BRAKES AND ASKED IF ANYBODY WAS HURT AND IF THE ACFT OR TUG WERE DAMAGED. THEY ASSURED ME EVERYTHING WAS OK. A SUPVR ARRIVED WITH ANOTHER HEADSET AND THE PUSH CREW MEMBERS TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER; ONE OF THE CREW MEMBERS GOT ON THE HEADSET AND ASKED ME WHY I USED THE BRAKES. ONCE AGAIN; I ASKED IF EVERYONE WAS OK AND EXPLAINED THAT WE HADN'T RECEIVED PUSH CLRNC NOR HAD WE GIVEN A PUSH SIGNAL. THE ONLY SIGNALS I HAD GIVEN WERE THE BRAKE RELEASE SIGNAL AND A HEADSET REQUEST SIGNAL. I THEN ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE SUPVR. SPEAKING WITH THE SUPVR; I REMINDED HIM OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO HAVE HEADSETS OR A FACE-TO-FACE CONFERENCE REVIEWING SIGNALS. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THE BRAKE RELEASE SIGNAL TO MEAN OK TO PUSH AND WE DISCUSSED THE FACTS THAT THOSE SIGNALS ARE CLRLY DESCRIBED IN OUR MANUAL AND THAT THE RAMP IN QUESTION IS CTLED. THE REMAINDER OF THE PUSH WAS DONE WITH A HEADSET AND NO OTHER PROBS WERE EXPERIENCED. I KNOW THAT INJURIES AND DAMAGE COULD OCCUR WHEN USING ACFT BRAKES DURING A PUSH AND FEEL THAT MY ACTIONS COMPROMISED SAFETY BUT IT WAS DONE WITHOUT THINKING. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ALL PERSONNEL REVIEW THE MANUALS REGARDING PUSH PROCS AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO TEST HEADSETS EARLY IN THE PROCESS. I; FOR ONE; WILL INSIST ON A FACE-TO FACE PRIOR TO USING ANY HAND SIGNALS FROM NOW ON.

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.