MD80 flight crew has an engine fire during engine start at stl.

Attributes
ACN	574795
Time
Date	200302
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	574795
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overrode automation
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On flight from st louis to boston, captain and I started the right engine on pushback at st louis and taxied out on 1 engine. As we were taxiing on taxiway a, we started the left engine. As I raised the fuel lever to run, we did not get a light off. I made a comment to captain and stopped the start. At this time, ground told us to cross runway 12R. As we crossed the runway, ground told us to pull up behind the first B757 at the hold short line of runway 12L. I told captain that we needed a new tps. He told me to get the new tps on the ACARS. He also told me to call tower and tell them we did not have our numbers. As I was doing this, he said he would start the left engine. As we were pulling forward, the aircraft behind us said we had an engine fire. We stopped the start and stopped the aircraft. Tower called out the ground safety equipment. The safety personnel told us to discharge the agent. We did. They inspected the aircraft and left after about 10 mins. We were towed back to the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW HAS AN ENG FIRE DURING ENG START AT STL.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM ST LOUIS TO BOSTON, CAPT AND I STARTED THE R ENG ON PUSHBACK AT ST LOUIS AND TAXIED OUT ON 1 ENG. AS WE WERE TAXIING ON TXWY A, WE STARTED THE L ENG. AS I RAISED THE FUEL LEVER TO RUN, WE DID NOT GET A LIGHT OFF. I MADE A COMMENT TO CAPT AND STOPPED THE START. AT THIS TIME, GND TOLD US TO CROSS RWY 12R. AS WE CROSSED THE RWY, GND TOLD US TO PULL UP BEHIND THE FIRST B757 AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE OF RWY 12L. I TOLD CAPT THAT WE NEEDED A NEW TPS. HE TOLD ME TO GET THE NEW TPS ON THE ACARS. HE ALSO TOLD ME TO CALL TWR AND TELL THEM WE DID NOT HAVE OUR NUMBERS. AS I WAS DOING THIS, HE SAID HE WOULD START THE L ENG. AS WE WERE PULLING FORWARD, THE ACFT BEHIND US SAID WE HAD AN ENG FIRE. WE STOPPED THE START AND STOPPED THE ACFT. TWR CALLED OUT THE GND SAFETY EQUIP. THE SAFETY PERSONNEL TOLD US TO DISCHARGE THE AGENT. WE DID. THEY INSPECTED THE ACFT AND LEFT AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS. WE WERE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE.

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.