Narrative:

On taxi out for takeoff runway 22R newark, we experienced a hot start on our right engine. We were #2 behind a B737. At about the time we were approaching the runway, the ACARS was printing new weight and balance data as we had taken on an additional 25 bags during pushback. We reviewed the numbers and updated our weight and balance. Ewr tower cleared the B737 for takeoff. I then called for the delayed engine start checklist in case they let us go early. The parking brake was set and I told first officer I would make the before takeoff PA, while he was starting the right engine. After the PA, first officer said he was stopping the start sequence because the ignition switch was not on. We then motored the engine for 20 seconds and let it spool down. At that point, the flight attendants told us the cabin was ready for takeoff. We commenced a restart of the right engine and tower cleared us for position and hold on the runway almost simultaneously with the restart attempt. As I started to taxi in position, first officer made a loud remark and I looked down to see him putting the fuel lever/switch to off. I glanced at the egt and saw it going through about 590 degrees. I stopped taxiing and told tower we were checking out a problem. We realized then that the fuel lever/switch had not been positioned to the 'off' position after the first start attempt on the right engine. We requested taxi back to our ramp. We also requested that maintenance check our right engine as we estimated it had experienced an egt of 600 degrees on start. Supplemental information from acn 585059: in discontinuing the start I failed to place the fuel switch 'off' (I thought I had). After the motor spooled down I turned the ignition 'on' and engaged the starter. At that moment the printer started running. When I looked at the N2 gauge I noticed we were getting a hot start, and was confused because I didn't think that the fuel was on. As soon as I noticed the fuel situation the engine was shut down and we returned for maintenance. There were several distractions at the time of engine start including: being cleared on to the runway early, the ACARS printing, and trying to complete all checklists prior to being cleared for takeoff.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLT CREW HAS A HOT START DURING ENG START AT EWR.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT FOR TKOF RWY 22R NEWARK, WE EXPERIENCED A HOT START ON OUR R ENG. WE WERE #2 BEHIND A B737. AT ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE APCHING THE RWY, THE ACARS WAS PRINTING NEW WT AND BAL DATA AS WE HAD TAKEN ON AN ADDITIONAL 25 BAGS DURING PUSHBACK. WE REVIEWED THE NUMBERS AND UPDATED OUR WT AND BAL. EWR TWR CLRED THE B737 FOR TKOF. I THEN CALLED FOR THE DELAYED ENG START CHKLIST IN CASE THEY LET US GO EARLY. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET AND I TOLD FO I WOULD MAKE THE BEFORE TKOF PA, WHILE HE WAS STARTING THE R ENG. AFTER THE PA, FO SAID HE WAS STOPPING THE START SEQUENCE BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT ON. WE THEN MOTORED THE ENG FOR 20 SECONDS AND LET IT SPOOL DOWN. AT THAT POINT, THE FLT ATTENDANTS TOLD US THE CABIN WAS READY FOR TKOF. WE COMMENCED A RESTART OF THE R ENG AND TWR CLRED US FOR POS AND HOLD ON THE RWY ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE RESTART ATTEMPT. AS I STARTED TO TAXI IN POS, FO MADE A LOUD REMARK AND I LOOKED DOWN TO SEE HIM PUTTING THE FUEL LEVER/SWITCH TO OFF. I GLANCED AT THE EGT AND SAW IT GOING THROUGH ABOUT 590 DEGS. I STOPPED TAXIING AND TOLD TWR WE WERE CHKING OUT A PROB. WE REALIZED THEN THAT THE FUEL LEVER/SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN POSITIONED TO THE 'OFF' POS AFTER THE FIRST START ATTEMPT ON THE R ENG. WE REQUESTED TAXI BACK TO OUR RAMP. WE ALSO REQUESTED THAT MAINT CHK OUR R ENG AS WE ESTIMATED IT HAD EXPERIENCED AN EGT OF 600 DEGS ON START. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 585059: IN DISCONTINUING THE START I FAILED TO PLACE THE FUEL SWITCH 'OFF' (I THOUGHT I HAD). AFTER THE MOTOR SPOOLED DOWN I TURNED THE IGNITION 'ON' AND ENGAGED THE STARTER. AT THAT MOMENT THE PRINTER STARTED RUNNING. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE N2 GAUGE I NOTICED WE WERE GETTING A HOT START, AND WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK THAT THE FUEL WAS ON. AS SOON AS I NOTICED THE FUEL SIT THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN AND WE RETURNED FOR MAINT. THERE WERE SEVERAL DISTRACTIONS AT THE TIME OF ENG START INCLUDING: BEING CLRED ON TO THE RWY EARLY, THE ACARS PRINTING, AND TRYING TO COMPLETE ALL CHKLISTS PRIOR TO BEING CLRED FOR TKOF.

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.