Narrative:

Over the past few winters I have noticed several cfm-56 engines (on aircraft that have just been sprayed with deicing fluid) smoke substantially during the engine starting process. Occasionally I have noticed some torching when the engine(south) finally did light off. Also, after the air conditioning packs are turned on, the smell of glycol smoke sometimes fill the cabin. This evening my aircraft evidenced some of the above-noted characteristics. After having the aircraft sprayed with deicing fluid we started the right engine and commenced taxi toward our assigned runway. Later we ran the delayed engine start checklist and started the left engine. The left engine apparently had received quite a quantity of deicing fluid as it did not light off immediately and the ignition selector had to be repositioned to an alternate position to accomplish the light off. After the left pack was activated there was a rather strong smell of glycol in the cabin. Also, a commuting pilot from our company who was in the aft cabin was asked by one of the flight attendants to discuss with us the fact that they had noted some torching when the left engine lit off. Since it is inevitable that occasionally various quantities of deicing fluid will enter the engines during ground deicing I suggest that the ignition selector switch be positioned to the 'both' position to ensure all ignitors are utilized during engine starts after ground deicing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter is going to discuss with his company maintenance. Very appreciative of the efforts of ASRS. Has no problem with ASRS mentioning the incident to the FAA. All packs were off at the time of deicing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INGESTION OF DEICING VAPOR INTO CABIN ON ENG START.

Narrative: OVER THE PAST FEW WINTERS I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL CFM-56 ENGS (ON ACFT THAT HAVE JUST BEEN SPRAYED WITH DEICING FLUID) SMOKE SUBSTANTIALLY DURING THE ENG STARTING PROCESS. OCCASIONALLY I HAVE NOTICED SOME TORCHING WHEN THE ENG(S) FINALLY DID LIGHT OFF. ALSO, AFTER THE AIR CONDITIONING PACKS ARE TURNED ON, THE SMELL OF GLYCOL SMOKE SOMETIMES FILL THE CABIN. THIS EVENING MY ACFT EVIDENCED SOME OF THE ABOVE-NOTED CHARACTERISTICS. AFTER HAVING THE ACFT SPRAYED WITH DEICING FLUID WE STARTED THE R ENG AND COMMENCED TAXI TOWARD OUR ASSIGNED RWY. LATER WE RAN THE DELAYED ENG START CHKLIST AND STARTED THE L ENG. THE L ENG APPARENTLY HAD RECEIVED QUITE A QUANTITY OF DEICING FLUID AS IT DID NOT LIGHT OFF IMMEDIATELY AND THE IGNITION SELECTOR HAD TO BE REPOSITIONED TO AN ALTERNATE POS TO ACCOMPLISH THE LIGHT OFF. AFTER THE L PACK WAS ACTIVATED THERE WAS A RATHER STRONG SMELL OF GLYCOL IN THE CABIN. ALSO, A COMMUTING PLT FROM OUR COMPANY WHO WAS IN THE AFT CABIN WAS ASKED BY ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO DISCUSS WITH US THE FACT THAT THEY HAD NOTED SOME TORCHING WHEN THE L ENG LIT OFF. SINCE IT IS INEVITABLE THAT OCCASIONALLY VARIOUS QUANTITIES OF DEICING FLUID WILL ENTER THE ENGS DURING GND DEICING I SUGGEST THAT THE IGNITION SELECTOR SWITCH BE POSITIONED TO THE 'BOTH' POS TO ENSURE ALL IGNITORS ARE UTILIZED DURING ENG STARTS AFTER GND DEICING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR IS GOING TO DISCUSS WITH HIS COMPANY MAINT. VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE EFFORTS OF ASRS. HAS NO PROBLEM WITH ASRS MENTIONING THE INCIDENT TO THE FAA. ALL PACKS WERE OFF AT THE TIME OF DEICING.

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.