B737-300 flight crew returns to gate at rdu when unable to start right engine.

Attributes
ACN	438880
Time
Date	199906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	438880
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

After pushback from our gate and a normal start on #1 engine. We attempted to start #2 engine with the right igniter. #2 engine would not start. We ran through our procedures and checked circuit breakers (more were out). We attempted a second start but without success. We contacted our maintenance controller and our operations office, and after consultation given a prior write-up and repair that day on the right igniter on #2, we returned to our gate for repairs. Contract maintenance swapped the electrical lead for the left igniter to the right igniter. We operations checked it and it worked fine. All required maintenance paperwork was completed and approved by maintenance control, and we pushed for ewr approximately 1 1/2 hours late. The prior fix damaged the igniter. It appears the real problem may have been the wiring. Don't know how you would have doublechked it, but the redundant system was available although the B737 right igniter is a no-go no MEL item. We were able to get the right igniter via the repair.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLC RETURNS TO GATE AT RDU WHEN UNABLE TO START R ENG.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK FROM OUR GATE AND A NORMAL START ON #1 ENG. WE ATTEMPTED TO START #2 ENG WITH THE R IGNITER. #2 ENG WOULD NOT START. WE RAN THROUGH OUR PROCS AND CHKED CIRCUIT BREAKERS (MORE WERE OUT). WE ATTEMPTED A SECOND START BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. WE CONTACTED OUR MAINT CTLR AND OUR OPS OFFICE, AND AFTER CONSULTATION GIVEN A PRIOR WRITE-UP AND REPAIR THAT DAY ON THE R IGNITER ON #2, WE RETURNED TO OUR GATE FOR REPAIRS. CONTRACT MAINT SWAPPED THE ELECTRICAL LEAD FOR THE L IGNITER TO THE R IGNITER. WE OPS CHKED IT AND IT WORKED FINE. ALL REQUIRED MAINT PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETED AND APPROVED BY MAINT CTL, AND WE PUSHED FOR EWR APPROX 1 1/2 HRS LATE. THE PRIOR FIX DAMAGED THE IGNITER. IT APPEARS THE REAL PROB MAY HAVE BEEN THE WIRING. DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD HAVE DOUBLECHKED IT, BUT THE REDUNDANT SYS WAS AVAILABLE ALTHOUGH THE B737 R IGNITER IS A NO-GO NO MEL ITEM. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE RIGHT IGNITER VIA THE REPAIR.

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.