Narrative:

After deplaning passenger at the gate; operations agent said that jet needed to be pushed back a little bit so he could line up jetway. Ramper had problems getting tug started; but eventually either replaced the tug or got it running. Operations said he was ready to reposition; I walked through the entry door; operations closed the door behind me and I could hear the jetway pulling back. As I was taking my seat; I could hear the tug revving up. As I was selecting flight interphone; the ramper commenced the pushback with the parking brake set. I was quite surprised that no communication was established prior to this time and was concerned he would break the tow bar or damage the nose gear; so I released the brakes. We moved back about 1 ft and stopped. I went down to talk to the ramper about the evolution and when I saw him he threw his hands in the air; quite agitated; and said 'this aircraft is OTS; they didn't lower the belt loader' or something like that. The aircraft had come in contact with the belt loader at the lower right corner of the aft cargo door frame. Operations; maintenance; dispatch; sod; cp were all notified. Logbook entry made. Scratch/dent was within limits; maintenance complied with all requirements; logbook signed off; delayed 24 mins. Absolute understanding that some sort of communication needs to occur prior to moving a jet. I could have left the parking brake set; but again I was concerned that the tow bar would break; etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAILURE TO COORDINATE BRAKE RELEASE AND PUSHBACK RESULTS IN B737-300 HAVING MINOR COLLISION WITH BELT LOADER.

Narrative: AFTER DEPLANING PAX AT THE GATE; OPS AGENT SAID THAT JET NEEDED TO BE PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT SO HE COULD LINE UP JETWAY. RAMPER HAD PROBS GETTING TUG STARTED; BUT EVENTUALLY EITHER REPLACED THE TUG OR GOT IT RUNNING. OPS SAID HE WAS READY TO REPOSITION; I WALKED THROUGH THE ENTRY DOOR; OPS CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND ME AND I COULD HEAR THE JETWAY PULLING BACK. AS I WAS TAKING MY SEAT; I COULD HEAR THE TUG REVVING UP. AS I WAS SELECTING FLT INTERPHONE; THE RAMPER COMMENCED THE PUSHBACK WITH THE PARKING BRAKE SET. I WAS QUITE SURPRISED THAT NO COM WAS ESTABLISHED PRIOR TO THIS TIME AND WAS CONCERNED HE WOULD BREAK THE TOW BAR OR DAMAGE THE NOSE GEAR; SO I RELEASED THE BRAKES. WE MOVED BACK ABOUT 1 FT AND STOPPED. I WENT DOWN TO TALK TO THE RAMPER ABOUT THE EVOLUTION AND WHEN I SAW HIM HE THREW HIS HANDS IN THE AIR; QUITE AGITATED; AND SAID 'THIS ACFT IS OTS; THEY DIDN'T LOWER THE BELT LOADER' OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE ACFT HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE BELT LOADER AT THE LOWER R CORNER OF THE AFT CARGO DOOR FRAME. OPS; MAINT; DISPATCH; SOD; CP WERE ALL NOTIFIED. LOGBOOK ENTRY MADE. SCRATCH/DENT WAS WITHIN LIMITS; MAINT COMPLIED WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS; LOGBOOK SIGNED OFF; DELAYED 24 MINS. ABSOLUTE UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME SORT OF COM NEEDS TO OCCUR PRIOR TO MOVING A JET. I COULD HAVE LEFT THE PARKING BRAKE SET; BUT AGAIN I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TOW BAR WOULD BREAK; ETC.

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.