B727 starts taxi with ground crew still plugged into interphone system.

Attributes
ACN	784733
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ehrd.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	784733
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

At departure time we called to have ground personnel pull chocks. We were parked in a spot we could taxi straight away from. Operations advised ground personnel on headset at nose gear. We checked in and requested chock removal and engine start. After engine start; we saw ground personnel move off to right front. We called for taxi. After moving about 3 ft; the ground guide off to the right gave us the stop signal -- there were 2 ground personnel and the nose gear/headset person was still plugged in. After unplugging headset; we taxied away -- thankfully no problem. We also called handler upon destination arrival. This was a very upsetting event for me. Why did this happen? 1)when pushback not required; we are used to hand signals. 2) having a ground person on headset without checking in was a little unusual. 3) getting permission to start engines and subsequently seeing ground personnel move away from aircraft to right was deceiving. 4) this was an outstation with contract personnel. Nevertheless; I will never move aircraft until headset person acknowledges unplugging.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 STARTS TAXI WITH GND CREW STILL PLUGGED INTO INTERPHONE SYSTEM.

Narrative: AT DEP TIME WE CALLED TO HAVE GND PERSONNEL PULL CHOCKS. WE WERE PARKED IN A SPOT WE COULD TAXI STRAIGHT AWAY FROM. OPS ADVISED GND PERSONNEL ON HEADSET AT NOSE GEAR. WE CHKED IN AND REQUESTED CHOCK REMOVAL AND ENG START. AFTER ENG START; WE SAW GND PERSONNEL MOVE OFF TO R FRONT. WE CALLED FOR TAXI. AFTER MOVING ABOUT 3 FT; THE GND GUIDE OFF TO THE R GAVE US THE STOP SIGNAL -- THERE WERE 2 GND PERSONNEL AND THE NOSE GEAR/HEADSET PERSON WAS STILL PLUGGED IN. AFTER UNPLUGGING HEADSET; WE TAXIED AWAY -- THANKFULLY NO PROB. WE ALSO CALLED HANDLER UPON DEST ARR. THIS WAS A VERY UPSETTING EVENT FOR ME. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? 1)WHEN PUSHBACK NOT REQUIRED; WE ARE USED TO HAND SIGNALS. 2) HAVING A GND PERSON ON HEADSET WITHOUT CHKING IN WAS A LITTLE UNUSUAL. 3) GETTING PERMISSION TO START ENGS AND SUBSEQUENTLY SEEING GND PERSONNEL MOVE AWAY FROM ACFT TO R WAS DECEIVING. 4) THIS WAS AN OUTSTATION WITH CONTRACT PERSONNEL. NEVERTHELESS; I WILL NEVER MOVE ACFT UNTIL HEADSET PERSON ACKNOWLEDGES UNPLUGGING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.