Narrative:

A ground observer called the tower and said he saw torching and smoke from our left engine. Tower called an emergency and called out the fire trucks. We had no indication of any abnormality in the cockpit. No engine parameters were exceeded. We performed the called for abnormal procedure, and requested that we be towed back to the gate. Inspector of the engine by the fire department found no evidence of fire or smoke! Maintenance personnel were notified. They conducted the required inspections and found no abnormalities. No evidence of fire or smoke. Aircraft logbook was signed off and aircraft returned to service by maintenance. Flight then departed without further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT SHUT DOWN ENGS AND WERE TOWED TO GATE AFTER GND OBSERVER RPTED ENG FIRE.

Narrative: A GND OBSERVER CALLED THE TWR AND SAID HE SAW TORCHING AND SMOKE FROM OUR L ENG. TWR CALLED AN EMER AND CALLED OUT THE FIRE TRUCKS. WE HAD NO INDICATION OF ANY ABNORMALITY IN THE COCKPIT. NO ENG PARAMETERS WERE EXCEEDED. WE PERFORMED THE CALLED FOR ABNORMAL PROC, AND REQUESTED THAT WE BE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. INSPECTOR OF THE ENG BY THE FIRE DEPT FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE OR SMOKE! MAINT PERSONNEL WERE NOTIFIED. THEY CONDUCTED THE REQUIRED INSPECTIONS AND FOUND NO ABNORMALITIES. NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE OR SMOKE. ACFT LOGBOOK WAS SIGNED OFF AND ACFT RETURNED TO SVC BY MAINT. FLT THEN DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.