CRJ200 first officer reports tail pipe fire on second attempt to start left engine. Engine shut down...

Attributes
ACN	808109
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	808109
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight was originally delayed roughly 20 mins for needed left inboard main tire change. We taxied out of ramp in sequence behind an MD88. Realizing we were #3 I suggested we start the #1 engine. I completed the checklist and began the start sequence. Noticing no light off I shut the left thrust lever off. I was now hurrying as we were #1 and was not sure if I completed the dry cycle when I engaged the a ignition and started the sequence. The aircraft behind us made a transmission about a fire in our left engine. I was distraction by the call and looked for fire indications. The captain immediately shut off the thrust lever. The captain then assessed the situation with no fire warnings and other pilot reporting fire still existed; decided to push both fire bottles with a 10 second wait in between. We made a call for the fire trucks and started the immediate action checklist engine fire on ground. The trucks could not immediately locate us with our light flashing. Once idented they got into position and sprayed the left engine tailpipe. We made calls to operations and maintenance and taxied back to the gate and unloaded the passenger. Suggest calling out fuel introduced and dry motoring cycle complete prior to restart sequence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 FO REPORTS TAIL PIPE FIRE ON SECOND ATTEMPT TO START LEFT ENGINE. ENGINE SHUT DOWN; FIRE BOTTLES DISCHARGED; AND CFR DISPATCHED.

Narrative: FLT WAS ORIGINALLY DELAYED ROUGHLY 20 MINS FOR NEEDED L INBOARD MAIN TIRE CHANGE. WE TAXIED OUT OF RAMP IN SEQUENCE BEHIND AN MD88. REALIZING WE WERE #3 I SUGGESTED WE START THE #1 ENG. I COMPLETED THE CHKLIST AND BEGAN THE START SEQUENCE. NOTICING NO LIGHT OFF I SHUT THE L THRUST LEVER OFF. I WAS NOW HURRYING AS WE WERE #1 AND WAS NOT SURE IF I COMPLETED THE DRY CYCLE WHEN I ENGAGED THE A IGNITION AND STARTED THE SEQUENCE. THE ACFT BEHIND US MADE A XMISSION ABOUT A FIRE IN OUR L ENG. I WAS DISTR BY THE CALL AND LOOKED FOR FIRE INDICATIONS. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE THRUST LEVER. THE CAPT THEN ASSESSED THE SITUATION WITH NO FIRE WARNINGS AND OTHER PLT RPTING FIRE STILL EXISTED; DECIDED TO PUSH BOTH FIRE BOTTLES WITH A 10 SECOND WAIT IN BTWN. WE MADE A CALL FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS AND STARTED THE IMMEDIATE ACTION CHKLIST ENG FIRE ON GND. THE TRUCKS COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY LOCATE US WITH OUR LIGHT FLASHING. ONCE IDENTED THEY GOT INTO POS AND SPRAYED THE L ENG TAILPIPE. WE MADE CALLS TO OPS AND MAINT AND TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND UNLOADED THE PAX. SUGGEST CALLING OUT FUEL INTRODUCED AND DRY MOTORING CYCLE COMPLETE PRIOR TO RESTART SEQUENCE.

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.

CRJ200 first officer reports tail pipe fire on second attempt to start left engine. Engine shut down; fire bottles discharged; and crash fire rescue equipment dispatched.