2024-06 · NASA ASRS report 2137608
A321 Flight Crew reported while exiting flight deck a strap had pulled the parking brake off which resulted in uncommanded aircraft moment.
This event is based on aircraft rolling at the gate post flight shutdown. The scenario is that I pulled into the gate and stopped the aircraft. Post parking; we as a crew ran the shutdown checklist and then began to pack to leave for our next flight. After packing my belongs and prior to getting up I had moved my lunch box over to the center pedestal and then arose from my chair. Unbeknownst to me and as I turned around to face the aft and retrieve my bags my lunchbox strap had pulled the brake to 'OFF' and at the time was still unnoticed as the brake removal is virtually silent also the shift of the aircraft was soft and subtle. However while grabbing my bags the FO said 'Did we move?' I said; must have been the jet bridge as the movement of the aircraft was very slight and could not be felt. He then looked at the ECAM and noticed that no park brake message was displayed. Park brake was then turned back to on and then proceeded to our next gate assignment.Cause: Causal factors would be vigilant of loose straps and being cautious when leaving an aircraft. Mitigation factors would be to advise ground to immediately chock aircraft.
After completing the flight an event occurred while parked at the gate. We used the Docking Guidance System to park at the gate. The Captain shutdown engines; performed his flow and called for the shutdown checklist. We completed the shutdown checklist. I began to pack up my stuff as we had a plane swap at another gate. The captain got out of his seat and was standing behind me in the cockpit door area. I moved my pedals forward; and extended my seat back so I could exit. After packing up my belongings I looked up and noticed slow motion relative to the jet bridge. I was confused because the brake had been set and it felt like an optical illusion. I then looked out the front window and saw no motion. I chocked up the motion I saw previously to jet bridge movement and looked at the parking brake just to make sure it was on and that we had not in fact moved. The brake was off! I alerted the Captain that the brake was off and he immediately jumped back in his seat and reset the brake. In my positioning of partial egress from my seat I was not in a position or configuration to easily set the brake myself. The Captain and I spoke briefly as to how the brake came to be off and he told me that his lunchbox strap (which dangled to the exact height of the parking brake handle must have caught the handle and twisted it off as he got out of his seat. At this point I was still under the belief that the aircraft had not moved. When I exited the aircraft it was obvious from the positioning of the jet bridge to the door that the aircraft must have rolled back a few feet. There did not appear to be any damage to the aircraft. I went up top to alert the gate agent that the jet bridge needed to be moved and heard the captain already telling the agent. From the terminal I looked out the window there did not appear to be anything around the aircraft that would have caused damage. I noticed a Ramper at this point chock the airplane (about 10 minutes after block in).Cause: Ultimately the event was caused by the captain inadvertently releasing the parking brake while exiting his seat. If there had been adequate ground personnel to meet the airplane when we parked the aircraft would have been chocked and as a result would not have moved when the brake was accidentally swung off.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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