A320 crew had an engine tailpipe fire, after engine shutdown, blocking at the gate.

Attributes
ACN	633732
Time
Date	200410
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	633732
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	633874
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Checklist was completed and cockpit door was opened. Ramper came into cockpit to inform us of flames seen in #2 engine. There was no indication of fire from cockpit displays or alarms. Fire button was then pushed and extended and #2 squib was discharged. QRH was checked, but none of the items fit with this situation since there was no fire indication light, bell, ECAM message, or electronic checklist displayed. Captain then informed assisted purser in controled evacuate/evacuation of aircraft through door 1L. First officer stayed in cockpit to monitor communications and look for any other emergency indications. Mechanics then came into cockpit and started coordinating the cranking of the #2 engine with someone outside the aircraft. I didn't know the status of the coordination since they had their own radios with discreet frequencys. It was at this point that I was put out of the loop of communications. At this point the safety of the aircraft was reasonably assured and the follow-up procedures were also taken over by ground personnel. The flight crew then departed the aircraft and commenced administrative procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW HAD AN ENG TAILPIPE FIRE, AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN, BLOCKING AT THE GATE.

Narrative: CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED AND COCKPIT DOOR WAS OPENED. RAMPER CAME INTO COCKPIT TO INFORM US OF FLAMES SEEN IN #2 ENG. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FIRE FROM COCKPIT DISPLAYS OR ALARMS. FIRE BUTTON WAS THEN PUSHED AND EXTENDED AND #2 SQUIB WAS DISCHARGED. QRH WAS CHKED, BUT NONE OF THE ITEMS FIT WITH THIS SIT SINCE THERE WAS NO FIRE INDICATION LIGHT, BELL, ECAM MESSAGE, OR ELECTRONIC CHKLIST DISPLAYED. CAPT THEN INFORMED ASSISTED PURSER IN CTLED EVAC OF ACFT THROUGH DOOR 1L. FO STAYED IN COCKPIT TO MONITOR COMS AND LOOK FOR ANY OTHER EMER INDICATIONS. MECHS THEN CAME INTO COCKPIT AND STARTED COORDINATING THE CRANKING OF THE #2 ENG WITH SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE ACFT. I DIDN'T KNOW THE STATUS OF THE COORD SINCE THEY HAD THEIR OWN RADIOS WITH DISCREET FREQS. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT I WAS PUT OUT OF THE LOOP OF COMS. AT THIS POINT THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT WAS REASONABLY ASSURED AND THE FOLLOW-UP PROCS WERE ALSO TAKEN OVER BY GND PERSONNEL. THE FLT CREW THEN DEPARTED THE ACFT AND COMMENCED ADMINISTRATIVE PROCS.

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.