Narrative:

While taxiing in, captain shut down one (#1) engine, then the other engine (#2). Company SOP doesn't allow shutdown of any engines on medium large transport aircraft during taxi. While #1 engine was spooling down, captain placed start lever in up position (on) to try to catch spooldown and restart engine. This caused a large torching flame to come from the #1 engine. Ground control reported flames to our flight over ground control radio and asked us if we needed any assistance. Captain shut down #1 engine because of ground control report and decreasing RPM and increasing egt. We then started #2 engine and taxied in normally. I (first officer) inspected #1 engine carefully on post-flight walkaround and found no visible damage. Torching was from excess fuel being blown out back of engine during aborted start attempt. Next segment of flight proceeded normally with all engine indications normal. First officer not happy with capts who don't follow SOP. Captain knows 1 engine shutdown is not SOP. Claimed shutting down both engines was throwback to large transport days. Minor deviations from SOP not much of a problem, but direct SOP violations -- even though not unsafe -- can cause problems and embarrassment for crew members, including crew members who don't agree with or participate in the execution of non SOP procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC INVOLVED IN NON ADHERENCE TO AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY OPERATIONAL PROC. IN 1 ENG SHUTDOWN TAXI INTO TERMINAL.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING IN, CAPT SHUT DOWN ONE (#1) ENG, THEN THE OTHER ENG (#2). COMPANY SOP DOESN'T ALLOW SHUTDOWN OF ANY ENGS ON MLG ACFT DURING TAXI. WHILE #1 ENG WAS SPOOLING DOWN, CAPT PLACED START LEVER IN UP POS (ON) TO TRY TO CATCH SPOOLDOWN AND RESTART ENG. THIS CAUSED A LARGE TORCHING FLAME TO COME FROM THE #1 ENG. GND CTL RPTED FLAMES TO OUR FLT OVER GND CTL RADIO AND ASKED US IF WE NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE. CAPT SHUT DOWN #1 ENG BECAUSE OF GND CTL RPT AND DECREASING RPM AND INCREASING EGT. WE THEN STARTED #2 ENG AND TAXIED IN NORMALLY. I (FO) INSPECTED #1 ENG CAREFULLY ON POST-FLT WALKAROUND AND FOUND NO VISIBLE DAMAGE. TORCHING WAS FROM EXCESS FUEL BEING BLOWN OUT BACK OF ENG DURING ABORTED START ATTEMPT. NEXT SEGMENT OF FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY WITH ALL ENG INDICATIONS NORMAL. FO NOT HAPPY WITH CAPTS WHO DON'T FOLLOW SOP. CAPT KNOWS 1 ENG SHUTDOWN IS NOT SOP. CLAIMED SHUTTING DOWN BOTH ENGS WAS THROWBACK TO LGT DAYS. MINOR DEVS FROM SOP NOT MUCH OF A PROB, BUT DIRECT SOP VIOLATIONS -- EVEN THOUGH NOT UNSAFE -- CAN CAUSE PROBS AND EMBARRASSMENT FOR CREW MEMBERS, INCLUDING CREW MEMBERS WHO DON'T AGREE WITH OR PARTICIPATE IN THE EXECUTION OF NON SOP PROCS.

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.