CAPT OF A B737-300 RELEASED BRAKES FOR TAXI AFTER PUSHBACK AND RAN OVER THE TOW BAR RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ONE OF THE NOSEWHEEL TIRES.

Narrative

PUSHED BACK FROM GATE IN CLEVELAND AT XA46 ON MAR 1997. STARTED #2 ENG FOLLOWED BY #1. TOW BAR WAS DISCONNECTED. PUSHBACK CREW STAYED IN PLACE. ACCOMPLISHED AFTER START CHKLIST; CALLED FOR TAXI. CAPT RELEASED BRAKES; WE ROLLED FORWARD. TOW BAR WENT BTWN TIRES. SCUFFED NOSEWHEEL TIRE. BENT HANDLE ON TOW BAR. TIRE WAS REPLACED FOR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. NO OTHER DAMAGE TO EQUIP; ACFT OR CREW. AFTER TIRE CHANGE PROCEEDED ON SCHEDULED FLT. PUSHBACK WAS SHORT; SLOW START ON BOTH ENGS. ASSUMED CREW HAD RETURNED TO GATE AND ALL CLR. NEW PROC KEEPS PUSH CREW CONNECTED UNTIL SECOND ENG IS STARTED. WE WERE USED TO CREW ALWAYS BEING CLR BY THE TIME THE SECOND ENG WAS STARTED. WE ALSO DID NOT GET THE THUMBS UP SIGNAL. WITH NEW PROC PUSH CREW IS OUT OF VIEW WHILE ALL ENGS ARE STARTED. BEFORE THEY WOULD PULL TUG AWAY AND WOULD COME INTO VIEW AND GIVE WAVE OFF BEFORE #2 ENG WAS STARTED; AFTER START CHKLIST COMPLETED AND THE CALL FOR TAXI WAS INITIATED. SUGGESTION THAT AFTER BRAKES ARE SET THEY DISCONNECT AND CLR; JUST AS BEFORE. NO NEED FOR THEM TO STAY THERE OR PUT FLAGS ON POLES ON TUGS SO WE CATCH OR SEE SOMETHING OUT THERE.