Narrative:

Air carrier X had no APU; thus it required an air cart for start. The cart put out 43 psi; no load; and stabilized under load in the low 30+ psi range. Started right engine without incident; maximum egt reached about 390 degrees C with normal start valve closure. The left engine start valve operated normally; and the engine achieved maximum motoring of N2=23.5%; and N1=06.5%. I advanced the left fuel lever for start and observed a normal starting fuel flow of approximately 600+ pph. Then the ground crew disconnected the air cart. Both N1 and N2 RPM decayed rapidly; and egt peaked and remained at 560 degrees C after about 3-4 seconds of no air flow. I could not clear the engine per the QRH; as there was no air cart air. I did shut off the fuel lever and ignition; and reviewed the hot start QRH with the first officer. The ground crew took about 2 1/2 mins to reconnect and re-establish air cart start pressure. While they were reconnecting and revving up the air cart; the lead ground crew member told me we had a tail pipe fire. Again; no air prevented QRH response. Once air pressure was re-established; I ran the clearing engine procedure; and the tailpipe fire abated; egt decreased to below 200 degrees C within 20 seconds of motoring. Contacted line maintenance; advised operations and requested the jetway be reconnected to the aircraft. Called dispatch on my cell phone and bridged up maintenance control; then wrote up the observed conditions in maintenance log. The next day; I received a no-notice line check ride from check airman on the next sortie flown.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW WITH AN INOP APU RPTS AN ENG HOT START AFTER THE GND CREW PREMATURELY REMOVED THE AIR CART IN USE.

Narrative: ACR X HAD NO APU; THUS IT REQUIRED AN AIR CART FOR START. THE CART PUT OUT 43 PSI; NO LOAD; AND STABILIZED UNDER LOAD IN THE LOW 30+ PSI RANGE. STARTED R ENG WITHOUT INCIDENT; MAX EGT REACHED ABOUT 390 DEGS C WITH NORMAL START VALVE CLOSURE. THE L ENG START VALVE OPERATED NORMALLY; AND THE ENG ACHIEVED MAX MOTORING OF N2=23.5%; AND N1=06.5%. I ADVANCED THE L FUEL LEVER FOR START AND OBSERVED A NORMAL STARTING FUEL FLOW OF APPROX 600+ PPH. THEN THE GND CREW DISCONNECTED THE AIR CART. BOTH N1 AND N2 RPM DECAYED RAPIDLY; AND EGT PEAKED AND REMAINED AT 560 DEGS C AFTER ABOUT 3-4 SECONDS OF NO AIR FLOW. I COULD NOT CLR THE ENG PER THE QRH; AS THERE WAS NO AIR CART AIR. I DID SHUT OFF THE FUEL LEVER AND IGNITION; AND REVIEWED THE HOT START QRH WITH THE FO. THE GND CREW TOOK ABOUT 2 1/2 MINS TO RECONNECT AND RE-ESTABLISH AIR CART START PRESSURE. WHILE THEY WERE RECONNECTING AND REVVING UP THE AIR CART; THE LEAD GND CREW MEMBER TOLD ME WE HAD A TAIL PIPE FIRE. AGAIN; NO AIR PREVENTED QRH RESPONSE. ONCE AIR PRESSURE WAS RE-ESTABLISHED; I RAN THE CLRING ENG PROC; AND THE TAILPIPE FIRE ABATED; EGT DECREASED TO BELOW 200 DEGS C WITHIN 20 SECONDS OF MOTORING. CONTACTED LINE MAINT; ADVISED OPS AND REQUESTED THE JETWAY BE RECONNECTED TO THE ACFT. CALLED DISPATCH ON MY CELL PHONE AND BRIDGED UP MAINT CTL; THEN WROTE UP THE OBSERVED CONDITIONS IN MAINT LOG. THE NEXT DAY; I RECEIVED A NO-NOTICE LINE CHK RIDE FROM CHK AIRMAN ON THE NEXT SORTIE FLOWN.

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.