B727-200 FLC FAILS TO RETRACT AIRSTAIRS PRIOR TO PUSHBACK.

Narrative

EVENT: B727 PUSHBACK WITH AFT AIRSTAIRS EXTENDED. RESULT: NO ACFT DAMAGE; NO INJURY; NO DELAY. CAUSE: POOR CREW USE OF CHKLIST (PUSHBACK/START) AND TASK SATURATION OF SO; AND POOR TRAINING OF GND PERSONNEL WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO RETRACT STAIR. DESCRIPTION: B727 AT PUSHBACK; CAPT FAILED TO CALL FOR PUSHBACK START CHKLIST AND STARTED PUSHBACK EVENT WITHOUT ASSURING ACFT WAS READY. SO AT THIS TIME WAS STILL IN PROCESS OF ENSURING THAT CABIN WAS READY FOR PUSHBACK. SO WAS ALSO PREPARING TKOF DATA CARD WITH PERFORMANCE NUMBERS (SPDS/WTS). SO DOOR PANEL WAS AT THE TIME LAST CHKED; SHOWED FORWARD ENTRY LIGHT; FORWARD CARGO LIGHT; NOSE GEAR DOOR LIGHTS (NOT UNCOMMON ON B727 WHILE ON GND); APU LIGHT; BOTH AFT STAIR LIGHTS. IN AN ATTEMPT TO PUSH BACK ON TIME CREW WAS RUSHED INTO PUSH EVENT WITHOUT EXECUTION OF PUSHBACK/START CHKLIST. SO RECOGNIZED UNUSUAL VIBRATION AS SOON AS ACFT BEGAN TO MOVE AND YELLED 'STOP.' SO SAW STAIRS WERE STILL DOWN AND LOCKED. INSPECTIONS WERE MADE BY SO AND MAINT PERSONNEL; ALL FELT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND FLT WAS CONTINUED. 4 GND PERSONNEL MISSED STAIR POS. SO DISTRACTED BY OTHER TASKS MISSED DOOR LIGHTS; CAPT FAILED TO ENSURE HIS ACFT WAS READY FOR PUSHBACK. CONCLUSIONS: TASK MGMNT SHOULD HAVE RESULTED IN 'DOWN LOADING' OF UNESSENTIAL ITEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TKOF DATA CARD AND NOT CHKLIST. TRUSTING MINIMUM WAGE CONTRACT GND PERSONNEL TO PERFORM LIKE TRADITIONAL COMPANY EMPLOYEES WAS A MISTAKE. USE THE CHKLIST PROPERLY AND BETTER PRIORITIZING OF TASKS; TO HELL WITH THE ON-TIME PUSH!