Narrative:

We had returned to the gate twice for maintenance to fix the right igniter on the right (#2) engine. On the second return to the gate, I departed the cockpit to coordination with the ground personnel, dispatch, and rerte. The lead mechanic convinced my first officer to strike through the second discrepancy write-up, because he wanted it to read as one continuous gripe. I did not authority/authorized this. After more than 1 hour, we reboarded the aircraft (passenger had been taken off), redispatched, and pushed back. On engine start of the afflicted #2 engine, we experienced a spectacular tailpipe fire. In 4 seconds, I received urgent calls from 1) the pushback crew 2) the ramp 3) four flight attendants, all referencing 'fire.' some passenger instantly jumped up and made to head for the exits. After vigorous PA's from myself and the flight attendant in charge, we calmed the passenger. Meanwhile, the first officer had completed the abnormal procedures, and we had determined what had happened, and that there was no danger. We returned to the gate, cancelled the flight, and accommodated the passenger on a later flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 ON THIRD ATTEMPT TO START THE R ENG WITH #2 IGNITION, A TAILPIPE FIRE OCCURRED. ENG WAS NOT DRY MOTORED PRIOR TO START.

Narrative: WE HAD RETURNED TO THE GATE TWICE FOR MAINT TO FIX THE R IGNITER ON THE R (#2) ENG. ON THE SECOND RETURN TO THE GATE, I DEPARTED THE COCKPIT TO COORD WITH THE GND PERSONNEL, DISPATCH, AND RERTE. THE LEAD MECH CONVINCED MY FO TO STRIKE THROUGH THE SECOND DISCREPANCY WRITE-UP, BECAUSE HE WANTED IT TO READ AS ONE CONTINUOUS GRIPE. I DID NOT AUTH THIS. AFTER MORE THAN 1 HR, WE REBOARDED THE ACFT (PAX HAD BEEN TAKEN OFF), REDISPATCHED, AND PUSHED BACK. ON ENG START OF THE AFFLICTED #2 ENG, WE EXPERIENCED A SPECTACULAR TAILPIPE FIRE. IN 4 SECONDS, I RECEIVED URGENT CALLS FROM 1) THE PUSHBACK CREW 2) THE RAMP 3) FOUR FLT ATTENDANTS, ALL REFING 'FIRE.' SOME PAX INSTANTLY JUMPED UP AND MADE TO HEAD FOR THE EXITS. AFTER VIGOROUS PA'S FROM MYSELF AND THE FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE, WE CALMED THE PAX. MEANWHILE, THE FO HAD COMPLETED THE ABNORMAL PROCS, AND WE HAD DETERMINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND THAT THERE WAS NO DANGER. WE RETURNED TO THE GATE, CANCELLED THE FLT, AND ACCOMMODATED THE PAX ON A LATER FLT.

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.