Engine ground fire during start. Passengers evacuated.

Attributes
ACN	159797
Time
Date	199010
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1650 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	159797
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 475 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	159796
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The initial start attempt on left engine indicated a 'hung' start. Battery voltage dropped from 25 volts to 12 and N1 accelerated slow to 30% where it stabilized. I called out that it was a hung start and shut the engine down. When I looked up the ramper was pointing at the left engine. I looked out to see flames shooting from the left and right exhaust stacks. I immediately ran the emergency securing procedures: 1) starter only, 2) verify condition lever-fuel cutoff, 3) pull firewall fuel valve. The flames continued to shoot out even after the securing procedure had been completed. After 20 seconds of motoring the engine west/O success I decided to activate the fire extinguisher and evaluate the passenger before the situation got out of hand. My first officer evacked all passenger to the right side west/O incident. When the extinguisher was activated the flames ceased and I got up and escorted 2 remaining passenger through the main door with a fire extinguisher in hand. The securing and evacuate/evacuation went smoothly by the checklist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE GND FIRE DURING START. PASSENGERS EVACUATED.

Narrative: THE INITIAL START ATTEMPT ON LEFT ENG INDICATED A 'HUNG' START. BATTERY VOLTAGE DROPPED FROM 25 VOLTS TO 12 AND N1 ACCELERATED SLOW TO 30% WHERE IT STABILIZED. I CALLED OUT THAT IT WAS A HUNG START AND SHUT THE ENG DOWN. WHEN I LOOKED UP THE RAMPER WAS POINTING AT THE LEFT ENG. I LOOKED OUT TO SEE FLAMES SHOOTING FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT EXHAUST STACKS. I IMMEDIATELY RAN THE EMER SECURING PROCS: 1) STARTER ONLY, 2) VERIFY CONDITION LEVER-FUEL CUTOFF, 3) PULL FIREWALL FUEL VALVE. THE FLAMES CONTINUED TO SHOOT OUT EVEN AFTER THE SECURING PROC HAD BEEN COMPLETED. AFTER 20 SECS OF MOTORING THE ENG W/O SUCCESS I DECIDED TO ACTIVATE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND EVALUATE THE PAX BEFORE THE SITUATION GOT OUT OF HAND. MY F/O EVACKED ALL PAX TO THE RIGHT SIDE W/O INCIDENT. WHEN THE EXTINGUISHER WAS ACTIVATED THE FLAMES CEASED AND I GOT UP AND ESCORTED 2 REMAINING PAX THROUGH THE MAIN DOOR WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN HAND. THE SECURING AND EVAC WENT SMOOTHLY BY THE CHKLIST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.