B767 at night crew had smoke from the exterior of the APU after starting at iad.

Attributes
ACN	520753
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdlr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 1360
ASRS Report	520753
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : apu low oil quantity other other : 3-5
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Started APU just prior to parking at gate. Parked aircraft. Shut down #2 and #1 engine. Mechanic informed smoke coming from APU. Required ground power hookup so APU could be shut down. APU egt noted approximately 350. EICAS displayed low oil quantity. Discussed shutting down APU manually before ground power connect. APU automatic shutdown. Several attempts to reestablish ground communication and ground power made PA and informed passenger. Fire equipment arrived, alerted by iad ground. Establish communication with fire crew through fireman hand radio in cockpit. Informed low oil no fire indication. Request to pull APU fire handle/bottle declined by fire crew. Ie, men in APU compartment captain request we use our aircraft fire protection system if extinguisher required. Captain made 2 requests to use our suppression system if needed not fire crew hose. Fire department did fire agent into APU. Wrote up EICAS low oil quantity and automatic shutdown after securing aircraft. Recommendation: when APU quit, parking check was complete. Emergency lights were in 'off' position. Suggest emergency lights remain armed until all passenger are off aircraft or aircraft going to bed. This will prevent a dark cabin in both APU and exterior power failure at gate. Also, thought to verify validity of APU fire light but decided exterior horn and light may falsely alarm the fire crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 AT NIGHT CREW HAD SMOKE FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE APU AFTER STARTING AT IAD.

Narrative: STARTED APU JUST PRIOR TO PARKING AT GATE. PARKED ACFT. SHUT DOWN #2 AND #1 ENG. MECH INFORMED SMOKE COMING FROM APU. REQUIRED GND PWR HOOKUP SO APU COULD BE SHUT DOWN. APU EGT NOTED APPROX 350. EICAS DISPLAYED LOW OIL QUANTITY. DISCUSSED SHUTTING DOWN APU MANUALLY BEFORE GND PWR CONNECT. APU AUTO SHUTDOWN. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REESTABLISH GND COM AND GND PWR MADE PA AND INFORMED PAX. FIRE EQUIP ARRIVED, ALERTED BY IAD GND. ESTABLISH COM WITH FIRE CREW THROUGH FIREMAN HAND RADIO IN COCKPIT. INFORMED LOW OIL NO FIRE INDICATION. REQUEST TO PULL APU FIRE HANDLE/BOTTLE DECLINED BY FIRE CREW. IE, MEN IN APU COMPARTMENT CAPT REQUEST WE USE OUR ACFT FIRE PROTECTION SYS IF EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED. CAPT MADE 2 REQUESTS TO USE OUR SUPPRESSION SYS IF NEEDED NOT FIRE CREW HOSE. FIRE DEPT DID FIRE AGENT INTO APU. WROTE UP EICAS LOW OIL QUANTITY AND AUTO SHUTDOWN AFTER SECURING ACFT. RECOMMENDATION: WHEN APU QUIT, PARKING CHK WAS COMPLETE. EMER LIGHTS WERE IN 'OFF' POS. SUGGEST EMER LIGHTS REMAIN ARMED UNTIL ALL PAX ARE OFF ACFT OR ACFT GOING TO BED. THIS WILL PREVENT A DARK CABIN IN BOTH APU AND EXTERIOR PWR FAILURE AT GATE. ALSO, THOUGHT TO VERIFY VALIDITY OF APU FIRE LIGHT BUT DECIDED EXTERIOR HORN AND LIGHT MAY FALSELY ALARM THE FIRE CREW.

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.