Narrative:

I was the captain, PIC. The first officer was a reserve captain, flying as sic that day. The preflts were accomplished. The first officer performed the exterior, I did the cockpit preflight. We were both in the cockpit, and were accomplishing the #2 engine start checklist. Being new to the mdt I had no winter experience, while the first officer did. He said that since the temperature was low (16 or 17 degrees F) and we were doing a battery start (the company gpu was inoperative) the engine would most likely 'torch', or shoot flames out the jet-pipe (exhaust). After both of us ascertained that the batteries were at the min required voltage of 24 vdc, we began the start sequence, as per the checklist. The first officer said he'd watch outside to monitor the torching. As predicted, the engine torched. I monitored the engine gauges and saw nothing abnormal. The initial spin-up of RPM was, however sluggish. The tgt (turbine gas temperature) never exceeded approximately 840 degrees C. The tgt parameter for engine start abort is 930 degrees C. Engine oil pressure came off the 'peg' and the oil pressure caution light extinguished. During the torching, the first officer said 'I see sparks coming out, maybe you'd better abort.' I aborted the start and we advised the mechanic that if the engine were to be started we'd need a gpu. He borrowed one and we attempted another start. (While the mechanic was getting the gpu the first officer and I examined the right engine area and saw nothing abnormal.) the engine would not even turn with the gpu, so we reexamined the right engine and found that it was seized, i.e., the propeller would not turn. Upon inspection by a mechanic, it was determined the engine would be replaced. The engine was to be preliminarily inspected by company maintenance then shipped to rolls royce for further inspection and determination of the cause of failure. For the record, all checklists were accomplished correctly and we did everything possible to ensure a safe and correct start. All temperatures, RPM's and pressures were monitored and remained within the normal ranges.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT CREW HAS PROBLEM WITH ENG START. DAMAGED.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT, PIC. THE FO WAS A RESERVE CAPT, FLYING AS SIC THAT DAY. THE PREFLTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED. THE FO PERFORMED THE EXTERIOR, I DID THE COCKPIT PREFLT. WE WERE BOTH IN THE COCKPIT, AND WERE ACCOMPLISHING THE #2 ENG START CHKLIST. BEING NEW TO THE MDT I HAD NO WINTER EXPERIENCE, WHILE THE FO DID. HE SAID THAT SINCE THE TEMP WAS LOW (16 OR 17 DEGS F) AND WE WERE DOING A BATTERY START (THE COMPANY GPU WAS INOP) THE ENG WOULD MOST LIKELY 'TORCH', OR SHOOT FLAMES OUT THE JET-PIPE (EXHAUST). AFTER BOTH OF US ASCERTAINED THAT THE BATTERIES WERE AT THE MIN REQUIRED VOLTAGE OF 24 VDC, WE BEGAN THE START SEQUENCE, AS PER THE CHKLIST. THE FO SAID HE'D WATCH OUTSIDE TO MONITOR THE TORCHING. AS PREDICTED, THE ENG TORCHED. I MONITORED THE ENG GAUGES AND SAW NOTHING ABNORMAL. THE INITIAL SPIN-UP OF RPM WAS, HOWEVER SLUGGISH. THE TGT (TURBINE GAS TEMP) NEVER EXCEEDED APPROX 840 DEGS C. THE TGT PARAMETER FOR ENG START ABORT IS 930 DEGS C. ENG OIL PRESSURE CAME OFF THE 'PEG' AND THE OIL PRESSURE CAUTION LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. DURING THE TORCHING, THE FO SAID 'I SEE SPARKS COMING OUT, MAYBE YOU'D BETTER ABORT.' I ABORTED THE START AND WE ADVISED THE MECH THAT IF THE ENG WERE TO BE STARTED WE'D NEED A GPU. HE BORROWED ONE AND WE ATTEMPTED ANOTHER START. (WHILE THE MECH WAS GETTING THE GPU THE FO AND I EXAMINED THE R ENG AREA AND SAW NOTHING ABNORMAL.) THE ENG WOULD NOT EVEN TURN WITH THE GPU, SO WE REEXAMINED THE R ENG AND FOUND THAT IT WAS SEIZED, I.E., THE PROP WOULD NOT TURN. UPON INSPECTION BY A MECH, IT WAS DETERMINED THE ENG WOULD BE REPLACED. THE ENG WAS TO BE PRELIMINARILY INSPECTED BY COMPANY MAINT THEN SHIPPED TO ROLLS ROYCE FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DETERMINATION OF THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. FOR THE RECORD, ALL CHKLISTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED CORRECTLY AND WE DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE A SAFE AND CORRECT START. ALL TEMPS, RPM'S AND PRESSURES WERE MONITORED AND REMAINED WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGES.

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.