Narrative:

APU was inoperative on the plane. No ground start carts were available. As such, the inbound crew had to leave the #1 engine running in order for our flight to be able to depart. This occurrence is so unusual that I could not find any guidance on the legality of fueling or preflting with an engine running. Checked with dispatch, duty pilot, and maintenance and basically told to use safe, common sense approach. As this station requires extra coordination for dispatching into with APU inoperative, I feel strongly the company needs to upgrade ground support equipment to enhance the safety of ground operations. Also trying to research the actual legality of the operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH APU INOP AND NO START CARTS AVAILABLE, ACFT ENG WAS LEFT RUNNING DURING GND STOP, WHICH INCLUDED FUELING, A CREW CHANGE AND PREFLT.

Narrative: APU WAS INOP ON THE PLANE. NO GND START CARTS WERE AVAILABLE. AS SUCH, THE INBOUND CREW HAD TO LEAVE THE #1 ENG RUNNING IN ORDER FOR OUR FLT TO BE ABLE TO DEPART. THIS OCCURRENCE IS SO UNUSUAL THAT I COULD NOT FIND ANY GUIDANCE ON THE LEGALITY OF FUELING OR PREFLTING WITH AN ENG RUNNING. CHKED WITH DISPATCH, DUTY PLT, AND MAINT AND BASICALLY TOLD TO USE SAFE, COMMON SENSE APCH. AS THIS STATION REQUIRES EXTRA COORD FOR DISPATCHING INTO WITH APU INOP, I FEEL STRONGLY THE COMPANY NEEDS TO UPGRADE GND SUPPORT EQUIP TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF GND OPS. ALSO TRYING TO RESEARCH THE ACTUAL LEGALITY OF THE OP.

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.