Flight crew of B737-300 unable to start APU after diversion to lft. Had to keep engine running in cr...

Attributes
ACN	618207
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lft.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	618207
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe ground encounters : person ground encounters : vehicle ground encounters other non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Diverted to lft due to WX in iah. After clearing runway, attempted 2 APU starts per aircraft limitations. APU would not start. We were already following the 'follow-me' truck with 1 B737 ahead and 1 B737 behind. Due to ramp construction and space constraints, we were unable to park elsewhere. Requested ground electrics and ground air due to APU inoperative, not for fuel saving. Ground air never provided and ground electrics provided approximately 35 mins later. Forced to continue to run the B737 engine on congested ramp with activity all around aircraft due to no ground electrics and no ground air being provided. Cabin temperature and ground personnel safety were my primary concerns. I notified lft airport operations of the hazardous situation. After over 40 mins, due to deteriorating situation (diabetic child on board, no air stairs yet and imminent fueling), I elected to use emergency authority/authorized and attempt one more APU start. Probably due to warm-up from cold soak, the APU started and I was now able to shut the engine down and complete requirements for departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737-300 UNABLE TO START APU AFTER DIVERSION TO LFT. HAD TO KEEP ENG RUNNING IN CROWDED RAMP AREA.

Narrative: DIVERTED TO LFT DUE TO WX IN IAH. AFTER CLRING RWY, ATTEMPTED 2 APU STARTS PER ACFT LIMITATIONS. APU WOULD NOT START. WE WERE ALREADY FOLLOWING THE 'FOLLOW-ME' TRUCK WITH 1 B737 AHEAD AND 1 B737 BEHIND. DUE TO RAMP CONSTRUCTION AND SPACE CONSTRAINTS, WE WERE UNABLE TO PARK ELSEWHERE. REQUESTED GND ELECTRICS AND GND AIR DUE TO APU INOP, NOT FOR FUEL SAVING. GND AIR NEVER PROVIDED AND GND ELECTRICS PROVIDED APPROX 35 MINS LATER. FORCED TO CONTINUE TO RUN THE B737 ENG ON CONGESTED RAMP WITH ACTIVITY ALL AROUND ACFT DUE TO NO GND ELECTRICS AND NO GND AIR BEING PROVIDED. CABIN TEMP AND GND PERSONNEL SAFETY WERE MY PRIMARY CONCERNS. I NOTIFIED LFT ARPT OPS OF THE HAZARDOUS SIT. AFTER OVER 40 MINS, DUE TO DETERIORATING SIT (DIABETIC CHILD ON BOARD, NO AIR STAIRS YET AND IMMINENT FUELING), I ELECTED TO USE EMER AUTH AND ATTEMPT ONE MORE APU START. PROBABLY DUE TO WARM-UP FROM COLD SOAK, THE APU STARTED AND I WAS NOW ABLE TO SHUT THE ENG DOWN AND COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEP.

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.

Flight crew of B737-300 unable to start APU after diversion to lft. Had to keep engine running in crowded ramp area.