Narrative:

Mechanic became frustrated that the aircraft did not taxi to the gate upon his command. Inadequate knowledge on his part regarding the requirements for marshalling aircraft. After pushing back; a 'fire system fault' was observed after both engines were started. Maintenance control was contacted and we were instructed to return to the gate. While we coordinated our return with operations; maintenance control advised the maintenance personnel who were still in their truck at the gate. Both mechanics got out of the truck and one of them positioned himself to marshall us into the gate. Since he was not using wands as required in the fom; I was unable to comply with his signals. After several attempts to urge us to move; he became more animated with his signals despite my attempt to convey to him that wands were required. The second mechanic made vigorous arm motions to signal us to move back to the gate. When the aircraft did not move; he walked out to the aircraft and opened the main cabin door without flight deck authority/authorized while the left engine was still running. An FAA inspector was on the jump seat for the flight and I asked him to open the flight deck door while the first officer shut down the left engine. The mechanic stuck his head into the flight deck and loudly stated that we needed to go back to the gate. I told him to get off the aircraft so the door could be closed. Ramp personnel had returned to the gate and marshalled us in utilizing wands. When the mechanic returned to the flight deck after shutting the engines down; I told him again that I needed wands in order to taxi back to the gate and that I didn't appreciate his behavior. He didn't respond; but instead began analyzing the problem. The fire system was subsequently deferred and we departed without further incident. Observed mechanic approach aircraft and open main cabin door. Notified mechanic of marshalling requirements; told him to get off of aircraft and taxied back to the gate. Maintenance personnel should be educated on proper marshalling procedures and to never open an aircraft door until signaled to do so.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GND CREW DID NOT PROPERLY MARSHALL AN ACFT WITH AN ENG FIRE WARNING FAULT TO THE GATE AS IT RETURNED FOR MAINTENANCE PRIOR TO TKOF.

Narrative: MECH BECAME FRUSTRATED THAT THE ACFT DID NOT TAXI TO THE GATE UPON HIS COMMAND. INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE ON HIS PART REGARDING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MARSHALLING ACFT. AFTER PUSHING BACK; A 'FIRE SYS FAULT' WAS OBSERVED AFTER BOTH ENGS WERE STARTED. MAINT CTL WAS CONTACTED AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE GATE. WHILE WE COORDINATED OUR RETURN WITH OPS; MAINT CTL ADVISED THE MAINT PERSONNEL WHO WERE STILL IN THEIR TRUCK AT THE GATE. BOTH MECHS GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND ONE OF THEM POSITIONED HIMSELF TO MARSHALL US INTO THE GATE. SINCE HE WAS NOT USING WANDS AS REQUIRED IN THE FOM; I WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH HIS SIGNALS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO URGE US TO MOVE; HE BECAME MORE ANIMATED WITH HIS SIGNALS DESPITE MY ATTEMPT TO CONVEY TO HIM THAT WANDS WERE REQUIRED. THE SECOND MECH MADE VIGOROUS ARM MOTIONS TO SIGNAL US TO MOVE BACK TO THE GATE. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT MOVE; HE WALKED OUT TO THE ACFT AND OPENED THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WITHOUT FLT DECK AUTH WHILE THE L ENG WAS STILL RUNNING. AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS ON THE JUMP SEAT FOR THE FLT AND I ASKED HIM TO OPEN THE FLT DECK DOOR WHILE THE FO SHUT DOWN THE L ENG. THE MECH STUCK HIS HEAD INTO THE FLT DECK AND LOUDLY STATED THAT WE NEEDED TO GO BACK TO THE GATE. I TOLD HIM TO GET OFF THE ACFT SO THE DOOR COULD BE CLOSED. RAMP PERSONNEL HAD RETURNED TO THE GATE AND MARSHALLED US IN UTILIZING WANDS. WHEN THE MECH RETURNED TO THE FLT DECK AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGS DOWN; I TOLD HIM AGAIN THAT I NEEDED WANDS IN ORDER TO TAXI BACK TO THE GATE AND THAT I DIDN'T APPRECIATE HIS BEHAVIOR. HE DIDN'T RESPOND; BUT INSTEAD BEGAN ANALYZING THE PROB. THE FIRE SYS WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DEFERRED AND WE DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. OBSERVED MECH APCH ACFT AND OPEN MAIN CABIN DOOR. NOTIFIED MECH OF MARSHALLING REQUIREMENTS; TOLD HIM TO GET OFF OF ACFT AND TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE. MAINT PERSONNEL SHOULD BE EDUCATED ON PROPER MARSHALLING PROCS AND TO NEVER OPEN AN ACFT DOOR UNTIL SIGNALED TO DO SO.

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.