Narrative:

The aircraft was going to need an airstart. I used the headset on the push tractor and contacted the pilot to make sure he still needed one. He confirmed and also confirmed that he'd be starting engine #1. The gate was congested with equipment on the side of engine #2; but since that engine would be off during the process we set the airstart unit up right in front of it with the hoses laying on the ground right in front of the engine. As the jetway backed off the plane; the plane lost ground power and we had to scramble to get a mobile unit hooked up as well as the airstart. Airstart unit warmed up and ready; we began the airstart and pilot started engine #1. Suddenly the blades started turning on engine #2. Pilot notified the push tractor operator he would start the 2nd engine on the gate and he said okay. Tractor operator had never pushed an aircraft from an airstart so he said okay to the pilot. I tried to contact the push tractor driver and told him to tell the pilot to shut down engine #2 but the pilot didn't comply. The #2 engine started; airstart hoses remained on the ground; but could have been sucked into the engine so easily. When it came time to close the valves on the airstart unit; I'm standing within 6 feet of a running engine and when we disconnected the hoses from the plane we had to be careful that the hoses stayed as far away as possible from the #2 engine.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Ramp Agent reported clearing the Captain to start the number one engine using an aircart with the cart and hose close to the number two engine. The Captain requested to start the number two engine and was approved by the Tug Driver who was not familiar with airstart procedures. No damage to equipment or injuries occurred.

Narrative: The aircraft was going to need an airstart. I used the headset on the push tractor and contacted the pilot to make sure he still needed one. He confirmed and also confirmed that he'd be starting engine #1. The gate was congested with equipment on the side of engine #2; but since that engine would be off during the process we set the airstart unit up right in front of it with the hoses laying on the ground right in front of the engine. As the jetway backed off the plane; the plane lost ground power and we had to scramble to get a mobile unit hooked up as well as the airstart. Airstart unit warmed up and ready; we began the airstart and pilot started engine #1. Suddenly the blades started turning on engine #2. Pilot notified the push tractor operator he would start the 2nd engine on the gate and he said okay. Tractor operator had never pushed an aircraft from an airstart so he said okay to the pilot. I tried to contact the push tractor driver and told him to tell the pilot to shut down engine #2 but the pilot didn't comply. The #2 engine started; airstart hoses remained on the ground; but could have been sucked into the engine so easily. When it came time to close the valves on the airstart unit; I'm standing within 6 feet of a running engine and when we disconnected the hoses from the plane we had to be careful that the hoses stayed as far away as possible from the #2 engine.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.