Narrative:

Departure had been delayed 30 mins to change a tire. When finally ready to push back, we were told to hold because of numerous commuter activity behind us. After 7 mins we were allowed to push. The first officer asked about activity and was told that passenger were being deplaned on the ramp. I told the first officer that we would use idle power to turn out of the ramp. The ground man gave the standard disconnecting communication. The first officer and I discussed the turn out. I noticed the tug and 1 man moving back to the gate. I released the brakes and allowed the aircraft to creep forward on idle power (there were several things happening in fast order. I'm not perfectly sure of the exact order). Then I noticed the headset man walking forward with the nosegear pin. I gave him the light flash and turned out. Someone, apparently a commuter, said, 'you almost got one of your ground guys.' my blood ran cold. I had totally ignored the procedure of waiting for the salute before allowing the aircraft to move. I was so wrapped up in the problems of taxiout that I had totally forgotten that I hadn't properly completed the push out. My terrible lapse could have killed that man. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the aircraft was just barely creeping and the ground man apparently was ready to leave and did not report the incident. Reporter stated he has now changed his own procedure to keep feet off brakes once parked until receiving departure salute. First officer did not even realize the aircraft was moving.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG STARTED TAXI BEFORE RECEIVING DEP SALUTE FROM GND MAN WHO WAS STILL UNDER NOSE OF ACFT.

Narrative: DEP HAD BEEN DELAYED 30 MINS TO CHANGE A TIRE. WHEN FINALLY READY TO PUSH BACK, WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS COMMUTER ACTIVITY BEHIND US. AFTER 7 MINS WE WERE ALLOWED TO PUSH. THE F/O ASKED ABOUT ACTIVITY AND WAS TOLD THAT PAX WERE BEING DEPLANED ON THE RAMP. I TOLD THE F/O THAT WE WOULD USE IDLE PWR TO TURN OUT OF THE RAMP. THE GND MAN GAVE THE STANDARD DISCONNECTING COM. THE F/O AND I DISCUSSED THE TURN OUT. I NOTICED THE TUG AND 1 MAN MOVING BACK TO THE GATE. I RELEASED THE BRAKES AND ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CREEP FORWARD ON IDLE PWR (THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS HAPPENING IN FAST ORDER. I'M NOT PERFECTLY SURE OF THE EXACT ORDER). THEN I NOTICED THE HEADSET MAN WALKING FORWARD WITH THE NOSEGEAR PIN. I GAVE HIM THE LIGHT FLASH AND TURNED OUT. SOMEONE, APPARENTLY A COMMUTER, SAID, 'YOU ALMOST GOT ONE OF YOUR GND GUYS.' MY BLOOD RAN COLD. I HAD TOTALLY IGNORED THE PROC OF WAITING FOR THE SALUTE BEFORE ALLOWING THE ACFT TO MOVE. I WAS SO WRAPPED UP IN THE PROBS OF TAXIOUT THAT I HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN THAT I HADN'T PROPERLY COMPLETED THE PUSH OUT. MY TERRIBLE LAPSE COULD HAVE KILLED THAT MAN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE ACFT WAS JUST BARELY CREEPING AND THE GND MAN APPARENTLY WAS READY TO LEAVE AND DID NOT REPORT THE INCIDENT. REPORTER STATED HE HAS NOW CHANGED HIS OWN PROC TO KEEP FEET OFF BRAKES ONCE PARKED UNTIL RECEIVING DEP SALUTE. F/O DID NOT EVEN REALIZE THE ACFT WAS MOVING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.