WDB BEGINS TAXI PRIOR TO TUG AND MECH CLRING THE AREA.

Narrative

I WAS IN COMMAND OF FLT PIT TO LGW. WE PUSHED FROM THE GATE 2 HRS LATE DUE TO A MAINT PROB. THERE WAS A STEADY RAIN FALLING AND THE TEMP WAS 33 DEGS F. THE FORECAST WAS FOR FREEZING RAIN AND I WAS WORRIED ABOUT AIRFRAME ICING. AFTER PUSHBACK THE MECH INFORMED ME OVER THE INTERPHONE THAT THE TUG WAS DISCONNECTED. I ORDERED HIM TO DISCONNECT AND THE FO CALLED FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. THE ACFT WAS COCKED SLIGHTLY TO THE R AS WE WERE ANTICIPATING A R TURNOUT. GND CTL; HOWEVER; TOLD US TO TURN L AND PROCEED W OF THE TERMINAL TO RWY 28R. I LOOKED TO THE L TO SEE IF WE COULD NEGOTIATE A TIGHT L TURN ON THE ICY RAMP AND REMAIN CLR OF VARIOUS PIECES OF GND EQUIP ON THE RAMP. I LOOKED BACK TO THE FRONT OF THE ACFT AND COULD NOT SEE THE MECH ON THE TUG. I ASSUMED FALSELY THAT I HAD MISSED THE SALUTE AND THEY HAD RETREATED TO GET OUT OF THE RAIN. I ADDED PWR AND STARTED TO TURN THE ACFT WHEN I CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE TUG ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT. AT THE SAME TIME THE FO ORDERED ME TO STOP THE ACFT BECAUSE THE MECH AND TUG WERE NOT YET CLR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE PWR OFF AND SET THE BRAKES. I FEEL IF I HAD NOT CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE TUG OR IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE QUICK ACTION OF THE FO A TAXI ACCIDENT MIGHT HAVE RESULTED.