Engine of medium large transport torched when improper starting procedure attempted.

Attributes
ACN	152106
Time
Date	199007
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 4600
ASRS Report	152106
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	152104
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was scheduled from dca to bos. We were given a clearance time of XX15Z. At XX10Z the tower unexpectedly cleared us for takeoff. We had the left engine shut down for fuel conservation. I began to start the left engine west/O running the checklist. I told the first officer to tell the tower we needed a couple mins before we were ready. I gave the engine starting fuel but there was no light off. I checked and saw that the ignition was not on. I motored the engine, but neglected to shut off the fuel so when the engine spooled down and I turned on the ignition the tailpipe torched. I shut off the fuel, motored it again. I returned to the gate, had the engine inspected. No damage was evident. The problem could have easily been avoided by waiting for the first officer to finish what he was doing and using the before start checklist. I allowed ATC to rush me instead of doing it by the #south.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE OF MLG TORCHED WHEN IMPROPER STARTING PROC ATTEMPTED.

Narrative: FLT WAS SCHEDULED FROM DCA TO BOS. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TIME OF XX15Z. AT XX10Z THE TWR UNEXPECTEDLY CLRED US FOR TKOF. WE HAD THE LEFT ENG SHUT DOWN FOR FUEL CONSERVATION. I BEGAN TO START THE LEFT ENG W/O RUNNING THE CHKLIST. I TOLD THE F/O TO TELL THE TWR WE NEEDED A COUPLE MINS BEFORE WE WERE READY. I GAVE THE ENG STARTING FUEL BUT THERE WAS NO LIGHT OFF. I CHKED AND SAW THAT THE IGNITION WAS NOT ON. I MOTORED THE ENG, BUT NEGLECTED TO SHUT OFF THE FUEL SO WHEN THE ENG SPOOLED DOWN AND I TURNED ON THE IGNITION THE TAILPIPE TORCHED. I SHUT OFF THE FUEL, MOTORED IT AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE GATE, HAD THE ENG INSPECTED. NO DAMAGE WAS EVIDENT. THE PROB COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN AVOIDED BY WAITING FOR THE F/O TO FINISH WHAT HE WAS DOING AND USING THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. I ALLOWED ATC TO RUSH ME INSTEAD OF DOING IT BY THE #S.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.