Narrative:

On pushback, we were cleared to start the right engine. The captain went through the normal before start flow and selected the 'a' ignition system. Turning the left engine and at appropriate N1, N2 and oil pressure indications, the captain brought the fuel lever to the on detent. I don't remember seeing an egt rise, N2 was very slow to rise and we assumed we had a hung start. At this time I released the start lever and the fuel lever should have been brought to idle cut off but was not. We then changed the ignition to the 'B' system thinking we had an ignitor problem. Toward the end of a normal start on the right engine, the mechanic on the interphone told us we had a tailpipe fire on the left engine. I then reached for the start switch and motored the engine to such in the flames. Around this time I noticed the left egt at 750 degrees C and pointed it out to the captain who then noticed the fuel lever still in the on detent position and took it to cutoff. I continued to motor the engine for approximately 1 min during which the fire went out. We then shutdown the right engine and were towed into the gate. Supplemental information from acn 220493: the hung start procedures were accomplished on the respective (left) engine. The left engine egt exceeded 750 degrees for approximately 15-20 seconds. Although the mechanic suggested an attempted restart on the left engine, we elected to have the aircraft towed back into the gate. The flight cancelled and the engine was scheduled to be changed due to the temperature limit that was exceeded.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG EXPERIENCES TAIL PIPE FIRE DURING RAMP OP PUSHBACK AND ENG START PROC.

Narrative: ON PUSHBACK, WE WERE CLRED TO START THE R ENG. THE CAPT WENT THROUGH THE NORMAL BEFORE START FLOW AND SELECTED THE 'A' IGNITION SYS. TURNING THE L ENG AND AT APPROPRIATE N1, N2 AND OIL PRESSURE INDICATIONS, THE CAPT BROUGHT THE FUEL LEVER TO THE ON DETENT. I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING AN EGT RISE, N2 WAS VERY SLOW TO RISE AND WE ASSUMED WE HAD A HUNG START. AT THIS TIME I RELEASED THE START LEVER AND THE FUEL LEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO IDLE CUT OFF BUT WAS NOT. WE THEN CHANGED THE IGNITION TO THE 'B' SYS THINKING WE HAD AN IGNITOR PROBLEM. TOWARD THE END OF A NORMAL START ON THE R ENG, THE MECHANIC ON THE INTERPHONE TOLD US WE HAD A TAILPIPE FIRE ON THE L ENG. I THEN REACHED FOR THE START SWITCH AND MOTORED THE ENG TO SUCH IN THE FLAMES. AROUND THIS TIME I NOTICED THE L EGT AT 750 DEGS C AND POINTED IT OUT TO THE CAPT WHO THEN NOTICED THE FUEL LEVER STILL IN THE ON DETENT POS AND TOOK IT TO CUTOFF. I CONTINUED TO MOTOR THE ENG FOR APPROX 1 MIN DURING WHICH THE FIRE WENT OUT. WE THEN SHUTDOWN THE R ENG AND WERE TOWED INTO THE GATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 220493: THE HUNG START PROCS WERE ACCOMPLISHED ON THE RESPECTIVE (L) ENG. THE L ENG EGT EXCEEDED 750 DEGS FOR APPROX 15-20 SECONDS. ALTHOUGH THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED AN ATTEMPTED RESTART ON THE L ENG, WE ELECTED TO HAVE THE ACFT TOWED BACK INTO THE GATE. THE FLT CANCELLED AND THE ENG WAS SCHEDULED TO BE CHANGED DUE TO THE TEMP LIMIT THAT WAS EXCEEDED.

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.