MD88 flight crew has engine fire during start.

Attributes
ACN	565075
Time
Date	200211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 9195 flight time type : 4431
ASRS Report	565075
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated controller : issued alert
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After pushback from the gate we began a single engine taxi for takeoff. We completed the taxi checklist and initiated the delayed start checklist for the #2 engine. The ignition switch was not selected to the 'on' position prior to the fuel shutoff switch being selected on. When the engine failed to start, the fuel shutoff switch motored before the ignition switch was selected on. Consequently, a tailpipe fire ensued. The tower controller saw the flames coming from the tailpipe and informed us. I stopped the aircraft, selected the fuel shutoff switch to lff, and began to motor the engine to clear the fuel and stop the fire. Although no engine fire indication occurred, the egt exceeded the 475 degrees C limit. The controller continued to see flames from the tailpipe, so I elected to have the emergency equipment assist us. They extinguished the fire with a combination of water and foam. With the fire out and no indication of any smoke or fumes in the cabin of the aircraft, the onboard lead and I determined there was no need to evacuate/evacuation the aircraft. We had a tug pull us to the gate. We informed our 3 passenger of the problem and situation. Safely at the gate, I contacted the dispatcher, maintenance coordinator, and duty pilot to inform them of the situation as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC HAS ENG FIRE DURING START.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE WE BEGAN A SINGLE ENG TAXI FOR TKOF. WE COMPLETED THE TAXI CHKLIST AND INITIATED THE DELAYED START CHKLIST FOR THE #2 ENG. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT SELECTED TO THE 'ON' POS PRIOR TO THE FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH BEING SELECTED ON. WHEN THE ENG FAILED TO START, THE FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH MOTORED BEFORE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS SELECTED ON. CONSEQUENTLY, A TAILPIPE FIRE ENSUED. THE TWR CTLR SAW THE FLAMES COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE AND INFORMED US. I STOPPED THE ACFT, SELECTED THE FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH TO LFF, AND BEGAN TO MOTOR THE ENG TO CLR THE FUEL AND STOP THE FIRE. ALTHOUGH NO ENG FIRE INDICATION OCCURRED, THE EGT EXCEEDED THE 475 DEGS C LIMIT. THE CTLR CONTINUED TO SEE FLAMES FROM THE TAILPIPE, SO I ELECTED TO HAVE THE EMER EQUIP ASSIST US. THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH A COMBINATION OF WATER AND FOAM. WITH THE FIRE OUT AND NO INDICATION OF ANY SMOKE OR FUMES IN THE CABIN OF THE ACFT, THE ONBOARD LEAD AND I DETERMINED THERE WAS NO NEED TO EVAC THE ACFT. WE HAD A TUG PULL US TO THE GATE. WE INFORMED OUR 3 PAX OF THE PROB AND SIT. SAFELY AT THE GATE, I CONTACTED THE DISPATCHER, MAINT COORDINATOR, AND DUTY PLT TO INFORM THEM OF THE SIT AS WELL.

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.