Narrative:

During #2 engine start (first engine to be started); the start valve failed to open when the start switch was depressed. All other indications were normal; including duct pressure. We cycled the start selector 'off' then 'on' and re-attempted with the same result. Maintenance was notified and mechanics were sent to the aircraft with whom we communicated via interphone. We used the 'engine start valve manual operation' procedure to attempt subsequent restarts. The first manual attempt resulted in N2 rotation to normal starting parameters; but no light-off occurred when the fuel lever was raised. The start was aborted (fuel lever to 'off'); and the engine was motored (mechanic left the start valve open) for 30+ seconds then run down to 3% N2. A restart was attempted using the same manual technique. This time the egt rose rapidly and the start was aborted as the egt approached 700 degrees (+/-730 degrees was reached at peak). During egt rise; the N2 was observed to decrease to 15%. The engine was motored; and then run down and duty limits were observed. The mechanic requested an additional attempt (to clear residual fuel); but once again the engine did not light off (same result as first attempt). The engine was motored; then allowed to spin down to 0% N2. During this time; we were informed by the mechanic that there was still a residual flame inside the engine; and he requested that we pull the fire handle as a precaution (no agent discharge). Airport crash fire rescue equipment was present and sprayed agent into the back of the engine (without consulting the mechanics who were monitoring the situation). We were unaware of the presence of any fire until the mechanic requested that we pull the fire handle. In addition; we were unaware of the presence of fire personnel until debriefing the mechanics.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300-600R ON #2 ENG START THE STARTER VALVE FAILED TO OPEN. TECHNICIAN MANUALLY OPENED THE START VALVE 3 TIMES WITH NO START. THIRD ATTEMPT CAUSED A FIRE IN THE TAILPIPE. EXTINGUISHED BY LCL FIRE DEPT.

Narrative: DURING #2 ENG START (FIRST ENG TO BE STARTED); THE START VALVE FAILED TO OPEN WHEN THE START SWITCH WAS DEPRESSED. ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL; INCLUDING DUCT PRESSURE. WE CYCLED THE START SELECTOR 'OFF' THEN 'ON' AND RE-ATTEMPTED WITH THE SAME RESULT. MAINT WAS NOTIFIED AND MECHS WERE SENT TO THE ACFT WITH WHOM WE COMMUNICATED VIA INTERPHONE. WE USED THE 'ENG START VALVE MANUAL OP' PROC TO ATTEMPT SUBSEQUENT RESTARTS. THE FIRST MANUAL ATTEMPT RESULTED IN N2 ROTATION TO NORMAL STARTING PARAMETERS; BUT NO LIGHT-OFF OCCURRED WHEN THE FUEL LEVER WAS RAISED. THE START WAS ABORTED (FUEL LEVER TO 'OFF'); AND THE ENG WAS MOTORED (MECH LEFT THE START VALVE OPEN) FOR 30+ SECONDS THEN RUN DOWN TO 3% N2. A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED USING THE SAME MANUAL TECHNIQUE. THIS TIME THE EGT ROSE RAPIDLY AND THE START WAS ABORTED AS THE EGT APCHED 700 DEGS (+/-730 DEGS WAS REACHED AT PEAK). DURING EGT RISE; THE N2 WAS OBSERVED TO DECREASE TO 15%. THE ENG WAS MOTORED; AND THEN RUN DOWN AND DUTY LIMITS WERE OBSERVED. THE MECH REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL ATTEMPT (TO CLR RESIDUAL FUEL); BUT ONCE AGAIN THE ENG DID NOT LIGHT OFF (SAME RESULT AS FIRST ATTEMPT). THE ENG WAS MOTORED; THEN ALLOWED TO SPIN DOWN TO 0% N2. DURING THIS TIME; WE WERE INFORMED BY THE MECH THAT THERE WAS STILL A RESIDUAL FLAME INSIDE THE ENG; AND HE REQUESTED THAT WE PULL THE FIRE HANDLE AS A PRECAUTION (NO AGENT DISCHARGE). ARPT CFR WAS PRESENT AND SPRAYED AGENT INTO THE BACK OF THE ENG (WITHOUT CONSULTING THE MECHS WHO WERE MONITORING THE SITUATION). WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF ANY FIRE UNTIL THE MECH REQUESTED THAT WE PULL THE FIRE HANDLE. IN ADDITION; WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF FIRE PERSONNEL UNTIL DEBRIEFING THE MECHS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.