B737 flight crew reports air conditioning hose being sucked into left engine after start at the gate...

Attributes
ACN	784250
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	784250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	784360
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

This aircraft had a placarded APU inoperative; so we were starting at the gate using an air cart. The cart was properly positioned on the right side of the aircraft. The ground crew had been following all procedures. As a matter of fact; the first officer and I had previously commented on what a great job the ground crew had been doing. The ground crew called for start on the #1 engine. The first officer called the ramp to ask permission for starting an engine at the gate. Engine #1 was started; and the ground crew and I both confirmed that the ground crew was cleared to disconnect the air and electric. While we were waiting for disconnect confirmation from ground crew; we felt strong vibrations from the left side of the aircraft. At that moment; several ground crew personnel signaled for us to cut the #1 engine; which we did immediately. We were then informed that an air conditioning hose had been ingested into the #1 engine. The brakes had not yet been released.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW REPORTS AIR CONDITIONING HOSE BEING SUCKED INTO LEFT ENGINE AFTER START AT THE GATE.

Narrative: THIS ACFT HAD A PLACARDED APU INOP; SO WE WERE STARTING AT THE GATE USING AN AIR CART. THE CART WAS PROPERLY POSITIONED ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT. THE GND CREW HAD BEEN FOLLOWING ALL PROCS. AS A MATTER OF FACT; THE FO AND I HAD PREVIOUSLY COMMENTED ON WHAT A GREAT JOB THE GND CREW HAD BEEN DOING. THE GND CREW CALLED FOR START ON THE #1 ENG. THE FO CALLED THE RAMP TO ASK PERMISSION FOR STARTING AN ENG AT THE GATE. ENG #1 WAS STARTED; AND THE GND CREW AND I BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE GND CREW WAS CLRED TO DISCONNECT THE AIR AND ELECTRIC. WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR DISCONNECT CONFIRMATION FROM GND CREW; WE FELT STRONG VIBRATIONS FROM THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. AT THAT MOMENT; SEVERAL GND CREW PERSONNEL SIGNALED FOR US TO CUT THE #1 ENG; WHICH WE DID IMMEDIATELY. WE WERE THEN INFORMED THAT AN AIR CONDITIONING HOSE HAD BEEN INGESTED INTO THE #1 ENG. THE BRAKES HAD NOT YET BEEN RELEASED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.