Engine fire on start.

Attributes
ACN	303040
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msn
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	303040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	302836
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During start of left engine, captain's finger slipped off left engine start switch. Engine start was aborted. During taxi-out engine clear procedure accomplished per communication. Wind 180 degree 12 KTS taxiing north to depart runway 18. Second start attempt. Msn tower informed us that we had flames in rear of engine. Second start attempt terminated. Tower then informed us that flames were visible in engine inlet. Engine fire checklist preformed (ground) 1 fire bottle used. At no time was there a cockpit indication of fire warning. Fire equipment called for. They examined left engine and stated no fire visible. We taxied back to departure gate and notified company. No emergency declared and aircraft was not evacuate/evacuationed. Next time more consideration should be given to a tailwind when clearing an engine after start aborted. Also controllers should be more aware of what they see related to some common start problems. The event was text book as far as procedures and training. I don't see anything the flight crew could have done more effectively.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENG FIRE ON START.

Narrative: DURING START OF L ENG, CAPT'S FINGER SLIPPED OFF L ENG START SWITCH. ENG START WAS ABORTED. DURING TAXI-OUT ENG CLR PROC ACCOMPLISHED PER COM. WIND 180 DEG 12 KTS TAXIING N TO DEPART RWY 18. SECOND START ATTEMPT. MSN TWR INFORMED US THAT WE HAD FLAMES IN REAR OF ENG. SECOND START ATTEMPT TERMINATED. TWR THEN INFORMED US THAT FLAMES WERE VISIBLE IN ENG INLET. ENG FIRE CHKLIST PREFORMED (GND) 1 FIRE BOTTLE USED. AT NO TIME WAS THERE A COCKPIT INDICATION OF FIRE WARNING. FIRE EQUIP CALLED FOR. THEY EXAMINED L ENG AND STATED NO FIRE VISIBLE. WE TAXIED BACK TO DEP GATE AND NOTIFIED COMPANY. NO EMER DECLARED AND ACFT WAS NOT EVACED. NEXT TIME MORE CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO A TAILWIND WHEN CLRING AN ENG AFTER START ABORTED. ALSO CTLRS SHOULD BE MORE AWARE OF WHAT THEY SEE RELATED TO SOME COMMON START PROBS. THE EVENT WAS TEXT BOOK AS FAR AS PROCS AND TRAINING. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THE FLC COULD HAVE DONE MORE EFFECTIVELY.

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.