Narrative:

#2 engine started normally. After push complete, attempted to start #1 engine. N2 on #1 rolled up to approximately 4.5%, then dropped back to zero. Problem presented as if start knob did not work. No other abnormal indications were received in cockpit. Notified operations/maintenance and requested rampers to assist us in returning to gate. Approximately 5 mins passed until ground personnel plugged into interphone and advised us that our left engine had shot a 3 ft flame and smoke out of the bottom. I questioned them as to whether or not there were still flames/smoke present. Ground advised no. We ran appropriate checklists as a precaution. After parking aircraft, there was a substantial delay before we could get ground personnel to unload gate checked bags in order for passenger to deplane. It would have been appreciated had ground personnel acted more expediently in notifying us of the engine flames. We had no indication in the cockpit of fire, and need to count on our ground personnel to notify us if they witness something abnormal concerning our aircraft. Flames shooting out the bottom of the engine is abnormal. Cause of engine problem was likely a failed air turbine starter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 CREW RETURNED TO THE GATE AFTER THE PUSHBACK CREW OBSERVED SMOKE AND FIRE FROM THE #1 ENG ON ATTEMPTED ENG START.

Narrative: #2 ENG STARTED NORMALLY. AFTER PUSH COMPLETE, ATTEMPTED TO START #1 ENG. N2 ON #1 ROLLED UP TO APPROX 4.5%, THEN DROPPED BACK TO ZERO. PROB PRESENTED AS IF START KNOB DID NOT WORK. NO OTHER ABNORMAL INDICATIONS WERE RECEIVED IN COCKPIT. NOTIFIED OPS/MAINT AND REQUESTED RAMPERS TO ASSIST US IN RETURNING TO GATE. APPROX 5 MINS PASSED UNTIL GND PERSONNEL PLUGGED INTO INTERPHONE AND ADVISED US THAT OUR L ENG HAD SHOT A 3 FT FLAME AND SMOKE OUT OF THE BOTTOM. I QUESTIONED THEM AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE STILL FLAMES/SMOKE PRESENT. GND ADVISED NO. WE RAN APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS AS A PRECAUTION. AFTER PARKING ACFT, THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL DELAY BEFORE WE COULD GET GND PERSONNEL TO UNLOAD GATE CHKED BAGS IN ORDER FOR PAX TO DEPLANE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPRECIATED HAD GND PERSONNEL ACTED MORE EXPEDIENTLY IN NOTIFYING US OF THE ENG FLAMES. WE HAD NO INDICATION IN THE COCKPIT OF FIRE, AND NEED TO COUNT ON OUR GND PERSONNEL TO NOTIFY US IF THEY WITNESS SOMETHING ABNORMAL CONCERNING OUR ACFT. FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENG IS ABNORMAL. CAUSE OF ENG PROB WAS LIKELY A FAILED AIR TURBINE STARTER.

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.