A passenger is unnerved by a tailpipe fire during the pushback operation of a B757-200 and initiates...

Attributes
ACN	585900
Time
Date	200306
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2900
ASRS Report	585900
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger misconduct ground encounters : person non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : gnd 6
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

I was captain and PIC of flight. It was conducted within normal parameters through pushback in ZZZ. After the ground crew disconnected the tug, we started #2 engine. As it was spooling up, we felt a buffet that would be consistent with receiving jetwash (blast) from another aircraft. Shortly thereafter, I observed the ground crew walking back toward the terminal. I noticed that one of the ground crew was holding his arm up and circling an extended finger as if to signal an engine start. Another ground crew employee looked at our aircraft and brought her hands to her mouth. Although there were no abnormal indications in the cockpit, I shut down the #2 engine. Almost immediately after shutting down the #2 engine, I received a call from a flight attendant who was positioned in the front of the cabin. She reported 'we have a fire.' I asked where the fire was. She said either standby, hold on, or something to that effect. About that time, I noticed that some passenger were on the ramp and that the emergency door and entry door lights were illuminated. I then shut down the #1 engine. I then instructed the first officer to call ground control and request the dispatch of emergency equipment. I made a PA and requested that passenger remain on the aircraft. The fire marshall informed me that there was no fire. We read through the evacuate/evacuation checklist. We then called operations to bring out stairs to deboard the crew and remaining passenger. Prior to departing aircraft we were boarded by maintenance personnel and fire marshall. Problem areas: ground crew failed to give me the appropriate hand signals for an engine fire. They need recurrent training. A certain passenger took it upon himself to physically push a flight attendant aside to activate the slide for an apparent tailpipe fire after being told to remain in his seat! He should be idented and prosecuted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PAX IS UNNERVED BY A TAILPIPE FIRE DURING THE PUSHBACK OP OF A B757-200 AND INITIATES AN EVAC, AGAINST THE COMMANDS OF THE FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE AT ZZZ, US.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT AND PIC OF FLT. IT WAS CONDUCTED WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS THROUGH PUSHBACK IN ZZZ. AFTER THE GND CREW DISCONNECTED THE TUG, WE STARTED #2 ENG. AS IT WAS SPOOLING UP, WE FELT A BUFFET THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH RECEIVING JETWASH (BLAST) FROM ANOTHER ACFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I OBSERVED THE GND CREW WALKING BACK TOWARD THE TERMINAL. I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE GND CREW WAS HOLDING HIS ARM UP AND CIRCLING AN EXTENDED FINGER AS IF TO SIGNAL AN ENG START. ANOTHER GND CREW EMPLOYEE LOOKED AT OUR ACFT AND BROUGHT HER HANDS TO HER MOUTH. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS IN THE COCKPIT, I SHUT DOWN THE #2 ENG. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE #2 ENG, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A FLT ATTENDANT WHO WAS POSITIONED IN THE FRONT OF THE CABIN. SHE RPTED 'WE HAVE A FIRE.' I ASKED WHERE THE FIRE WAS. SHE SAID EITHER STANDBY, HOLD ON, OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. ABOUT THAT TIME, I NOTICED THAT SOME PAX WERE ON THE RAMP AND THAT THE EMER DOOR AND ENTRY DOOR LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. I THEN SHUT DOWN THE #1 ENG. I THEN INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CALL GND CTL AND REQUEST THE DISPATCH OF EMER EQUIP. I MADE A PA AND REQUESTED THAT PAX REMAIN ON THE ACFT. THE FIRE MARSHALL INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE. WE READ THROUGH THE EVAC CHKLIST. WE THEN CALLED OPS TO BRING OUT STAIRS TO DEBOARD THE CREW AND REMAINING PAX. PRIOR TO DEPARTING ACFT WE WERE BOARDED BY MAINT PERSONNEL AND FIRE MARSHALL. PROB AREAS: GND CREW FAILED TO GIVE ME THE APPROPRIATE HAND SIGNALS FOR AN ENG FIRE. THEY NEED RECURRENT TRAINING. A CERTAIN PAX TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO PHYSICALLY PUSH A FLT ATTENDANT ASIDE TO ACTIVATE THE SLIDE FOR AN APPARENT TAILPIPE FIRE AFTER BEING TOLD TO REMAIN IN HIS SEAT! HE SHOULD BE IDENTED AND PROSECUTED.

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.

A passenger is unnerved by a tailpipe fire during the pushback operation of a B757-200 and initiates an evacuate/evacuation, against the commands of the flight attendant in charge at ZZZ, us.