Narrative:

On my preflight walkaround; I noticed an oil leak on the #1 engine. I reported this to the captain and with his concurrence wrote a maintenance discrepancy report. We already boarded the passenger; several announcements were made; and some passenger got off the airplane; but approximately 60 (as memory serves me) stayed on board. A maintenance engine start was required to check for leaks; and I informed the captain I was not comfortable performing a maintenance engine start because I have never been trained on the procedure. The captain asked the contract mechanic to start the engine and the mechanic informed the captain that he was not qualified to start the engine. After talking to the air carrier duty manager and maintenance; the captain elected to start the engine by himself. He asked the mechanic to situation in the first officer's seat and observe him while he started the engine. I exited the aircraft and proceeded onto the jetbridge and up to the terminal because I did not want to be associated; in any way; with this happening. The captain did start the engine by himself; with passenger on board. No leaks were found. After the engine was secured; I returned to the cockpit; helped finish the preflight and maintenance paperwork and flew as the PF without further incident. What led to the event: a captain who disregarded common sense to do a procedure he believed he was capable of; without fully considering the ramifications for himself; the airline; and the passenger on board.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FO IS DISTRESSED THAT THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO PERFORM A MAINT ENGINE START AT THE GATE CONTRARY TO ACR OPERATIONS MANUAL.

Narrative: ON MY PREFLT WALKAROUND; I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK ON THE #1 ENG. I RPTED THIS TO THE CAPT AND WITH HIS CONCURRENCE WROTE A MAINT DISCREPANCY RPT. WE ALREADY BOARDED THE PAX; SEVERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE MADE; AND SOME PAX GOT OFF THE AIRPLANE; BUT APPROX 60 (AS MEMORY SERVES ME) STAYED ON BOARD. A MAINT ENG START WAS REQUIRED TO CHK FOR LEAKS; AND I INFORMED THE CAPT I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE PERFORMING A MAINT ENG START BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN TRAINED ON THE PROC. THE CAPT ASKED THE CONTRACT MECH TO START THE ENG AND THE MECH INFORMED THE CAPT THAT HE WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO START THE ENG. AFTER TALKING TO THE ACR DUTY MGR AND MAINT; THE CAPT ELECTED TO START THE ENG BY HIMSELF. HE ASKED THE MECH TO SIT IN THE FO'S SEAT AND OBSERVE HIM WHILE HE STARTED THE ENG. I EXITED THE ACFT AND PROCEEDED ONTO THE JETBRIDGE AND UP TO THE TERMINAL BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED; IN ANY WAY; WITH THIS HAPPENING. THE CAPT DID START THE ENG BY HIMSELF; WITH PAX ON BOARD. NO LEAKS WERE FOUND. AFTER THE ENG WAS SECURED; I RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT; HELPED FINISH THE PREFLT AND MAINT PAPERWORK AND FLEW AS THE PF WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WHAT LED TO THE EVENT: A CAPT WHO DISREGARDED COMMON SENSE TO DO A PROC HE BELIEVED HE WAS CAPABLE OF; WITHOUT FULLY CONSIDERING THE RAMIFICATIONS FOR HIMSELF; THE AIRLINE; AND THE PAX ON BOARD.

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.