Narrative:

We taxied from the gate to the #3 position for takeoff using a single engine. Light rain was falling on the field. We initiated an engine start on the right engine. Despite the application of the fuel lever, I did not observe a rise in egt. I then terminated the engine start. We taxied off the taxiway, and initiated a second engine start. I observed egt rise more rapidly than normal. I then terminated this engine start. Shortly thereafter, another aircraft reported that there was black smoke coming from our right engine. A few seconds later, I heard a radio report stating that flames were coming from our right engine. I then pulled the fire handle for the right engine and discharged a fire bottle. Emergency response equipment arrived at the aircraft's location a short time thereafter, and reported that flames continued to come from the right engine. I then discharged the second fire bottle into the right engine. The fire crew on the ground applied an extinguishing agent to the right engine. After a few mins, they reported that the fire was extinguished. Passenger remained calm throughout the event. ZZZ operations towed the aircraft to a gate, and passenger were deplaned. I made a logbook entry before departing the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated it really was a failure to follow engine start procedures as one attempt was made with no ignition. The reporter said the engine was loaded up with fuel and this ignited causing the tailpipe fire. The reporter stated the airplane had no mechanical fault but was taken out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 CREW, ON STARTING THE R ENG, OBSERVED NO EXHAUST GAS TEMP INDICATION. SECOND START RAPID TEMP RISE. TERMINATED START. ANOTHER ACFT RPTED TAILPIPE FIRE.

Narrative: WE TAXIED FROM THE GATE TO THE #3 POS FOR TKOF USING A SINGLE ENG. LIGHT RAIN WAS FALLING ON THE FIELD. WE INITIATED AN ENG START ON THE R ENG. DESPITE THE APPLICATION OF THE FUEL LEVER, I DID NOT OBSERVE A RISE IN EGT. I THEN TERMINATED THE ENG START. WE TAXIED OFF THE TXWY, AND INITIATED A SECOND ENG START. I OBSERVED EGT RISE MORE RAPIDLY THAN NORMAL. I THEN TERMINATED THIS ENG START. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ANOTHER ACFT RPTED THAT THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM OUR R ENG. A FEW SECONDS LATER, I HEARD A RADIO RPT STATING THAT FLAMES WERE COMING FROM OUR R ENG. I THEN PULLED THE FIRE HANDLE FOR THE R ENG AND DISCHARGED A FIRE BOTTLE. EMER RESPONSE EQUIP ARRIVED AT THE ACFT'S LOCATION A SHORT TIME THEREAFTER, AND RPTED THAT FLAMES CONTINUED TO COME FROM THE R ENG. I THEN DISCHARGED THE SECOND FIRE BOTTLE INTO THE R ENG. THE FIRE CREW ON THE GND APPLIED AN EXTINGUISHING AGENT TO THE R ENG. AFTER A FEW MINS, THEY RPTED THAT THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. PAX REMAINED CALM THROUGHOUT THE EVENT. ZZZ OPS TOWED THE ACFT TO A GATE, AND PAX WERE DEPLANED. I MADE A LOGBOOK ENTRY BEFORE DEPARTING THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED IT REALLY WAS A FAILURE TO FOLLOW ENG START PROCS AS ONE ATTEMPT WAS MADE WITH NO IGNITION. THE RPTR SAID THE ENG WAS LOADED UP WITH FUEL AND THIS IGNITED CAUSING THE TAILPIPE FIRE. THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE HAD NO MECHANICAL FAULT BUT WAS TAKEN OUT.

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.