Medium large transport departs with faulty ignitor. It is not a deferrable item.

Attributes
ACN	289329
Time
Date	199411
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	289329
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a scheduled air carrier, part 121, flight from bos to ord we pushed back from the gate and we were cleared to start both engines. As per SOP we started the #1 engine on the right ignitor. The engine would not 'lite off.' we selected the left ignitor and the start was normal. #2 engine started normally, and we taxied out and departed bos. En route, while writing up and calling in the faulty right ignitor to maintenance, discovered that this problem was not deferrable and must be fixed before we took off. Landed at ord, maintenance checked the right ignitor and found it to work ok. Pushed back for next leg. Ord-geg, and the same right ignitor failed to start engine. Maintenance replaced right ignitor, rest of flight normal. No ignition on engine start is an emergency procedure. Referring to the 'no start' emergency checklist, there is no mention of the fact that an inoperative right ignitor must be fixed prior to departure. A small note added to this checklist might help others not to make this mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DEPARTS WITH FAULTY IGNITOR. IT IS NOT A DEFERRABLE ITEM.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED AIR CARRIER, PART 121, FLT FROM BOS TO ORD WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE AND WE WERE CLRED TO START BOTH ENGS. AS PER SOP WE STARTED THE #1 ENG ON THE R IGNITOR. THE ENG WOULD NOT 'LITE OFF.' WE SELECTED THE L IGNITOR AND THE START WAS NORMAL. #2 ENG STARTED NORMALLY, AND WE TAXIED OUT AND DEPARTED BOS. ENRTE, WHILE WRITING UP AND CALLING IN THE FAULTY R IGNITOR TO MAINT, DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROB WAS NOT DEFERRABLE AND MUST BE FIXED BEFORE WE TOOK OFF. LANDED AT ORD, MAINT CHKED THE R IGNITOR AND FOUND IT TO WORK OK. PUSHED BACK FOR NEXT LEG. ORD-GEG, AND THE SAME R IGNITOR FAILED TO START ENG. MAINT REPLACED R IGNITOR, REST OF FLT NORMAL. NO IGNITION ON ENG START IS AN EMER PROC. REFERRING TO THE 'NO START' EMER CHKLIST, THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE FACT THAT AN INOP R IGNITOR MUST BE FIXED PRIOR TO DEP. A SMALL NOTE ADDED TO THIS CHKLIST MIGHT HELP OTHERS NOT TO MAKE THIS MISTAKE.

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.