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A terminal technician reports with APU inoperative on B757-200 aircraft, crews are starting both engines with ground air and not advising the ground crew of the right engine start.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 620109 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200406 |
| Day | Tue |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Boeing Company Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : parked ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| ASRS Report | 620109 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical ground encounters : person |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I am a line technician, and lately I have had 2 incidents that have chilled my spine. Sometimes, as you all know, when an APU is on MEL, we use ground pneumatic to enable aircraft engine start at the gate. Normally, on our boeing fleet, the crew starts #1 or the left side engine since we hook up the pneumatic hose on the right side of the aircraft, and in case there is any last min luggage that has to go into the cargo pits. I was almost sucked into an engine twice, most recently today because the crew started both engines at the gate. It is very difficult for us technicians to note the right engine running when the ground pneumatic power is on since it's very loud. It's not until you approach the fuselage to disconnect the hose that you feel the pull by the engine that you realize that it's running. I am aware that some of our pilots have transitioned from md fleet to boeing, but unless this safety issue is addressed promptly, I am afraid soon if not later a fatal accident will happen.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A TERMINAL TECHNICIAN RPTS WITH APU INOP ON B757-200 ACFT, CREWS ARE STARTING BOTH ENGS WITH GND AIR AND NOT ADVISING THE GND CREW OF THE R ENG START.
Narrative: I AM A LINE TECHNICIAN, AND LATELY I HAVE HAD 2 INCIDENTS THAT HAVE CHILLED MY SPINE. SOMETIMES, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHEN AN APU IS ON MEL, WE USE GND PNEUMATIC TO ENABLE ACFT ENG START AT THE GATE. NORMALLY, ON OUR BOEING FLEET, THE CREW STARTS #1 OR THE L SIDE ENG SINCE WE HOOK UP THE PNEUMATIC HOSE ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT, AND IN CASE THERE IS ANY LAST MIN LUGGAGE THAT HAS TO GO INTO THE CARGO PITS. I WAS ALMOST SUCKED INTO AN ENG TWICE, MOST RECENTLY TODAY BECAUSE THE CREW STARTED BOTH ENGS AT THE GATE. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TECHNICIANS TO NOTE THE R ENG RUNNING WHEN THE GND PNEUMATIC PWR IS ON SINCE IT'S VERY LOUD. IT'S NOT UNTIL YOU APCH THE FUSELAGE TO DISCONNECT THE HOSE THAT YOU FEEL THE PULL BY THE ENG THAT YOU REALIZE THAT IT'S RUNNING. I AM AWARE THAT SOME OF OUR PLTS HAVE TRANSITIONED FROM MD FLEET TO BOEING, BUT UNLESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS ADDRESSED PROMPTLY, I AM AFRAID SOON IF NOT LATER A FATAL ACCIDENT WILL HAPPEN.
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.