Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff on runway 27L behind a 767 departing prior to us. Also on intersecting runway 30 another jet just landed prior to our takeoff clearance. Due to both of these I initiated a static takeoff. Having held brakes until maximum power was set, I began takeoff roll. The copilot made calls 'power set, air speed alive, engine instrument green, 80 KTS'. At that point the master warning lights illuminated and a split second later we noticed the problem, the right engine t-handle fire light. Almost simultaneously we both said abort and I retarded power levers. Immediately the t-handle light extinguished and the copilot saw no sign of smoke or fire on the right engine. We continued monitoring engine instruments all of which were totally normal. Due to these indications I felt it safer to taxi back to the gate without shutting the engine down as we had no further fire indication and this aircraft is difficult/unsafe to taxi on 1 engine. We taxied back to gate, deplaned the passenger, and called maintenance without further incident. Upon inspection maintenance found problem was an ignitor that had vibrated off and fell into bottom of cowling. There had been no fire, flames (I don't think) but extreme temperatures which would have caused a fire (had we have not retarded power), did char exterior engine and cowling around engine. Had we not have initiated a static takeoff, we could have been much further down the runway and possibly committed to flight at V1/vr by the time we received this indication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ABORTS TKOF BECAUSE A FIRE LIGHT ILLUMINATING.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 27L BEHIND A 767 DEPARTING PRIOR TO US. ALSO ON INTERSECTING RWY 30 ANOTHER JET JUST LANDED PRIOR TO OUR TKOF CLRNC. DUE TO BOTH OF THESE I INITIATED A STATIC TKOF. HAVING HELD BRAKES UNTIL MAX PWR WAS SET, I BEGAN TKOF ROLL. THE COPLT MADE CALLS 'PWR SET, AIR SPD ALIVE, ENG INST GREEN, 80 KTS'. AT THAT POINT THE MASTER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND A SPLIT SECOND LATER WE NOTICED THE PROB, THE R ENG T-HANDLE FIRE LIGHT. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY WE BOTH SAID ABORT AND I RETARDED PWR LEVERS. IMMEDIATELY THE T-HANDLE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED AND THE COPLT SAW NO SIGN OF SMOKE OR FIRE ON THE R ENG. WE CONTINUED MONITORING ENG INSTS ALL OF WHICH WERE TOTALLY NORMAL. DUE TO THESE INDICATIONS I FELT IT SAFER TO TAXI BACK TO THE GATE WITHOUT SHUTTING THE ENG DOWN AS WE HAD NO FURTHER FIRE INDICATION AND THIS ACFT IS DIFFICULT/UNSAFE TO TAXI ON 1 ENG. WE TAXIED BACK TO GATE, DEPLANED THE PAX, AND CALLED MAINT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION MAINT FOUND PROB WAS AN IGNITOR THAT HAD VIBRATED OFF AND FELL INTO BOTTOM OF COWLING. THERE HAD BEEN NO FIRE, FLAMES (I DON'T THINK) BUT EXTREME TEMPS WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE (HAD WE HAVE NOT RETARDED PWR), DID CHAR EXTERIOR ENG AND COWLING AROUND ENG. HAD WE NOT HAVE INITIATED A STATIC TKOF, WE COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH FURTHER DOWN THE RWY AND POSSIBLY COMMITTED TO FLT AT V1/VR BY THE TIME WE RECEIVED THIS INDICATION.

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.