Flight crew caused an engine fire on the ground at pgv during engine start.

Attributes
ACN	189020
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pgv
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	189020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight from iad to pgv and ewn (dulles-greenville, nc- new bern, nc) we stopped at pgv to drop off a passenger. Through passenger remained on board. After deplaning local passenger, we prepared to depart for ewn. After performing before start checklist, I attempted to start the right engine. On this aircraft, this is done by first pressing a 'select' then a 'start' button, and an autostart computer starts the engine automatically. When I pushed the select button nothing happened. We were checking the switches and circuit breakers to see what was wrong when we noticed a flame coming out the air inlet for the right engine. We evacuate/evacuation the aircraft and shut down the plane. The first officer discharged a halon extinguisher into the air inlet to be certain the fire was out. Then we discovered the air/ground switches in the air position. These switches vary the function of the automatic start computer for ground or air starts. In the air position, the starter motor is not engaged. The air/ground switches are normally placed in the ground position during the after landing checklist, however, this was evidently overlooked on this flight. The checklist item states simply 'overhead panel -- as required' and includes landing lights, strobes, stall protection, air/ground switches, and oil cooler flaps. There is no mention of the air/ground switches on the before start checklist. Relegating these switches to a memory item seems to invite overlooking them. I have recommended that these switches be checked and included on the before start checklist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC CAUSED AN ENG FIRE ON THE GND AT PGV DURING ENG START.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM IAD TO PGV AND EWN (DULLES-GREENVILLE, NC- NEW BERN, NC) WE STOPPED AT PGV TO DROP OFF A PAX. THROUGH PAX REMAINED ON BOARD. AFTER DEPLANING LCL PAX, WE PREPARED TO DEPART FOR EWN. AFTER PERFORMING BEFORE START CHKLIST, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE R ENG. ON THIS ACFT, THIS IS DONE BY FIRST PRESSING A 'SELECT' THEN A 'START' BUTTON, AND AN AUTOSTART COMPUTER STARTS THE ENG AUTOMATICALLY. WHEN I PUSHED THE SELECT BUTTON NOTHING HAPPENED. WE WERE CHKING THE SWITCHES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG WHEN WE NOTICED A FLAME COMING OUT THE AIR INLET FOR THE R ENG. WE EVAC THE ACFT AND SHUT DOWN THE PLANE. THE FO DISCHARGED A HALON EXTINGUISHER INTO THE AIR INLET TO BE CERTAIN THE FIRE WAS OUT. THEN WE DISCOVERED THE AIR/GND SWITCHES IN THE AIR POS. THESE SWITCHES VARY THE FUNCTION OF THE AUTO START COMPUTER FOR GND OR AIR STARTS. IN THE AIR POS, THE STARTER MOTOR IS NOT ENGAGED. THE AIR/GND SWITCHES ARE NORMALLY PLACED IN THE GND POS DURING THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST, HOWEVER, THIS WAS EVIDENTLY OVERLOOKED ON THIS FLT. THE CHKLIST ITEM STATES SIMPLY 'OVERHEAD PANEL -- AS REQUIRED' AND INCLUDES LNDG LIGHTS, STROBES, STALL PROTECTION, AIR/GND SWITCHES, AND OIL COOLER FLAPS. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE AIR/GND SWITCHES ON THE BEFORE START CHKLIST. RELEGATING THESE SWITCHES TO A MEMORY ITEM SEEMS TO INVITE OVERLOOKING THEM. I HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT THESE SWITCHES BE CHKED AND INCLUDED ON THE BEFORE START 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.