Narrative:

Both the copilot and I are relatively new on the aircraft. Copilot had approximately 100 hours, I had approximately 180 hours. We had the left engine (#1) running and were in the process of starting the right engine (#2). While waiting for the engine to establish at idle, I asked the copilot to call for taxi clearance. He called and received clearance and immediately began his taxi checklist items which include shutting off the bleed air source to the engine. The engine starter shut down with fuel flow still applied and we had an engine tailpipe fire. The fire burned itself out in short order with no damage to the aircraft or engine. Passenger were not evacuate/evacuationed. After thorough maintenance inspection the flight was continued. Cause: 1) calling for taxi clearance before engine start complete. 2) relatively new copilot and captain on equipment paired together. 3) company training does not cover engine shut down for other than mechanical failures. We did not do an aborted start checklist because there was nothing mechanically wrong with the aircraft engine. (We should have and that would have blown the excess fuel from the engine.) for example, complete all applicable abnormal checklists.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ADVANCED ACFT SUFFERS A TAILPIPE FIRE DURING ENG START AT ATL, GA. NO ACFT DAMAGE WAS DONE.

Narrative: BOTH THE COPLT AND I ARE RELATIVELY NEW ON THE ACFT. COPLT HAD APPROX 100 HRS, I HAD APPROX 180 HRS. WE HAD THE L ENG (#1) RUNNING AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING THE R ENG (#2). WHILE WAITING FOR THE ENG TO ESTABLISH AT IDLE, I ASKED THE COPLT TO CALL FOR TAXI CLRNC. HE CALLED AND RECEIVED CLRNC AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HIS TAXI CHKLIST ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE SHUTTING OFF THE BLEED AIR SOURCE TO THE ENG. THE ENG STARTER SHUT DOWN WITH FUEL FLOW STILL APPLIED AND WE HAD AN ENG TAILPIPE FIRE. THE FIRE BURNED ITSELF OUT IN SHORT ORDER WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR ENG. PAX WERE NOT EVACED. AFTER THOROUGH MAINT INSPECTION THE FLT WAS CONTINUED. CAUSE: 1) CALLING FOR TAXI CLRNC BEFORE ENG START COMPLETE. 2) RELATIVELY NEW COPLT AND CAPT ON EQUIP PAIRED TOGETHER. 3) COMPANY TRAINING DOES NOT COVER ENG SHUT DOWN FOR OTHER THAN MECHANICAL FAILURES. WE DID NOT DO AN ABORTED START CHKLIST BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE ACFT ENG. (WE SHOULD HAVE AND THAT WOULD HAVE BLOWN THE EXCESS FUEL FROM THE ENG.) FOR EXAMPLE, COMPLETE ALL APPLICABLE ABNORMAL CHKLISTS.

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.