Narrative:

Our company has a policy and approved training allowing first officer pilots to perform engine starts. Mke has no ground power unit and have not had for the yr we've been operating here. All engine starts are performed using battery power. First officer states that during a battery start of engine #2 that itt limit of 950 degrees C was exceeded (he estimates approximately 970 degrees for 2 seconds). Though not at the ideal vantage point (I was outside at the front of the aircraft with a ramper) I could see my first officer visually monitoring the start (as opposed to daydreaming or girl watching). I heard the starter engage, the ignitors click the light off of the engine and the immediate shutdown of the engine followed by the first officer hand-signaling that he had aborted the start. I add this to point out that I feel the first officer was conscientious during the start. While writing this, maintenance has arrived from our home base. He has tested the flight data information unit (fdau) which states fdr and other information. His diagnostic equipment shows that no engine limits were exceeded. My labor union counsel has told me that even though the first officer is approved for engine starts, even if I am not present, the FAA might still attempt to find fault with me or take action against me. Thus, this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT NOT IN ACFT WHEN FO ATTEMPTS AN ENG START WHICH IS ABORTED DUE TO A HOT START INDICATION.

Narrative: OUR COMPANY HAS A POLICY AND APPROVED TRAINING ALLOWING FO PLTS TO PERFORM ENG STARTS. MKE HAS NO GND PWR UNIT AND HAVE NOT HAD FOR THE YR WE'VE BEEN OPERATING HERE. ALL ENG STARTS ARE PERFORMED USING BATTERY PWR. FO STATES THAT DURING A BATTERY START OF ENG #2 THAT ITT LIMIT OF 950 DEGS C WAS EXCEEDED (HE ESTIMATES APPROX 970 DEGS FOR 2 SECONDS). THOUGH NOT AT THE IDEAL VANTAGE POINT (I WAS OUTSIDE AT THE FRONT OF THE ACFT WITH A RAMPER) I COULD SEE MY FO VISUALLY MONITORING THE START (AS OPPOSED TO DAYDREAMING OR GIRL WATCHING). I HEARD THE STARTER ENGAGE, THE IGNITORS CLICK THE LIGHT OFF OF THE ENG AND THE IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN OF THE ENG FOLLOWED BY THE FO HAND-SIGNALING THAT HE HAD ABORTED THE START. I ADD THIS TO POINT OUT THAT I FEEL THE FO WAS CONSCIENTIOUS DURING THE START. WHILE WRITING THIS, MAINT HAS ARRIVED FROM OUR HOME BASE. HE HAS TESTED THE FLT DATA INFO UNIT (FDAU) WHICH STATES FDR AND OTHER INFO. HIS DIAGNOSTIC EQUIP SHOWS THAT NO ENG LIMITS WERE EXCEEDED. MY LABOR UNION COUNSEL HAS TOLD ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FO IS APPROVED FOR ENG STARTS, EVEN IF I AM NOT PRESENT, THE FAA MIGHT STILL ATTEMPT TO FIND FAULT WITH ME OR TAKE ACTION AGAINST ME. THUS, THIS RPT.

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.