B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 204
Other / Unknown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
While holding number one for takeoff; I finished the Throttle Burst Check and dropped my hand toward the parking brake lever. My finger inadvertently caught the number 1 engine start lever and pulled it out of the detent. It moved slightly out of the idle position and I perceived the engine instruments rolling back to shut down. Rather than pushing the start lever back to idle; I elected to continue to shut the engine down normally. Before we could inform Tower that we would need a couple of minutes before departure; Tower cleared us to Line Up and Wait. Before moving; we told Tower we were not ready and needed to taxi around (2 other planes behind us). Tower cleared us down the runway and take the first exit and stop there. We did. We accomplished an engine start; accomplished the Before Taxi and Before Takeoff checklists and departed normally. More attention on my part to cockpit tasks. First Officer and ATC not involved in causing event.
B737 captain reported inadvertently bumping the number 1 start lever out of the run position while holding short causing the engine to shut down.