Narrative:

During the left engine start, we had no light off (noticed ignition off), aborted start per communication procedures -- fuel control lever off, motor engine for 10-15 seconds, see unsatisfactory start and clearing procedure. We then prepared to start right engine (to allow left engine N2 to return to zero) but after placing ignition to on remaining residual fuel in left engine must have caused flame and smoke as reported by other taxiing aircraft. No fire warning observed in cockpit (maximum egt 300 degrees). With ground maintenance personnel still close by and assessing the situation from outside, we stood by with communication and read border emergency checklists. Further, an immediate PA to flight attendants and passenger was made to keep everyone seated, calm and well informed. Shortly thereafter, ground maintenance directed us to motor the left engine for 15-20 seconds. They then directed us to pull fire handle and discharge agent. Although we did not declare an emergency and/or request further assistance, ground ATC advised fire and rescue units to the scene as an extra safety precaution. After careful examination of the left engine by maintenance and fire/rescue, we were towed back to the gate. After normal deplaning procedures at gate, a detailed description was recorded in the aircraft's logbook, the aircraft was turned over to maintenance, and I contacted the dtw chief pilot's office. In summary, I regret that the ignition was not put on prior to start which was possibly due to distractions from our first time use of ddtc dtw procedure. However, all communication procedures and appropriate checklists were followed during this event. Further, by keeping crew and passenger well informed (ie, several PA's) everyone remained calm and no unnecessary evacuate/evacuation and/or inappropriate action was taken -- just as we had carefully discussed in our initial pre-departure briefings. Most important, by closely following communication procedures and checklist no one was injured and the aircraft was not damaged (after a careful detailed inspection and replaced fire agent it was released for service).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-10 FLC FAILS TO HAVE THE IGNITION ON WHEN ATTEMPTING #1 ENG START DURING PUSHBACK. AFTER ENG CLRED AN ATTEMPT TO START #2 ENG STARTED FIRE AND SMOKE WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED ON FOR THE START PROC. FLT EVENTUALLY CANCELED AFTER A TOW BACK TO GATE.

Narrative: DURING THE L ENG START, WE HAD NO LIGHT OFF (NOTICED IGNITION OFF), ABORTED START PER COM PROCS -- FUEL CTL LEVER OFF, MOTOR ENG FOR 10-15 SECONDS, SEE UNSATISFACTORY START AND CLRING PROC. WE THEN PREPARED TO START R ENG (TO ALLOW L ENG N2 TO RETURN TO ZERO) BUT AFTER PLACING IGNITION TO ON REMAINING RESIDUAL FUEL IN L ENG MUST HAVE CAUSED FLAME AND SMOKE AS RPTED BY OTHER TAXIING ACFT. NO FIRE WARNING OBSERVED IN COCKPIT (MAX EGT 300 DEGS). WITH GND MAINT PERSONNEL STILL CLOSE BY AND ASSESSING THE SIT FROM OUTSIDE, WE STOOD BY WITH COM AND READ BORDER EMER CHKLISTS. FURTHER, AN IMMEDIATE PA TO FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX WAS MADE TO KEEP EVERYONE SEATED, CALM AND WELL INFORMED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, GND MAINT DIRECTED US TO MOTOR THE L ENG FOR 15-20 SECONDS. THEY THEN DIRECTED US TO PULL FIRE HANDLE AND DISCHARGE AGENT. ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER AND/OR REQUEST FURTHER ASSISTANCE, GND ATC ADVISED FIRE AND RESCUE UNITS TO THE SCENE AS AN EXTRA SAFETY PRECAUTION. AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE L ENG BY MAINT AND FIRE/RESCUE, WE WERE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. AFTER NORMAL DEPLANING PROCS AT GATE, A DETAILED DESCRIPTION WAS RECORDED IN THE ACFT'S LOGBOOK, THE ACFT WAS TURNED OVER TO MAINT, AND I CONTACTED THE DTW CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE. IN SUMMARY, I REGRET THAT THE IGNITION WAS NOT PUT ON PRIOR TO START WHICH WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO DISTRACTIONS FROM OUR FIRST TIME USE OF DDTC DTW PROC. HOWEVER, ALL COM PROCS AND APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS WERE FOLLOWED DURING THIS EVENT. FURTHER, BY KEEPING CREW AND PAX WELL INFORMED (IE, SEVERAL PA'S) EVERYONE REMAINED CALM AND NO UNNECESSARY EVAC AND/OR INAPPROPRIATE ACTION WAS TAKEN -- JUST AS WE HAD CAREFULLY DISCUSSED IN OUR INITIAL PRE-DEP BRIEFINGS. MOST IMPORTANT, BY CLOSELY FOLLOWING COM PROCS AND CHKLIST NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED (AFTER A CAREFUL DETAILED INSPECTION AND REPLACED FIRE AGENT IT WAS RELEASED FOR SVC).

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.