An air carrier B737-500 evacuate/evacuationed its passenger after a tailpipe fire on the ramp.

Attributes
ACN	340040
Time
Date	199606
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	340040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	340034
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

'No start' #1 engine start. Accomplished 'no start' checklist. While ground crew was concerned about a 'fire' and captain opened his window to view 'fire,' I talked to passenger on PA. In the middle of telling them about problem, captain initiated evacuate/evacuation. Cabin was evacuate/evacuationed through right side of aircraft (doors 1 and 2 right) with no injuries. I was last person off aircraft. The captain was not around, so maintenance person and myself went up slide back into aircraft, removed slides, and sat in flight deck while B737-500 towed back into gate. People came back on to remove belongings and I left aircraft. Good procedures, but I don't believe captain should have initiated evacuate/evacuation for contained tailpipe fire. Supplemental information from acn 340034: #1 engine stabilized at 28 percent N2 with no egt indications. We began the abnormal start procedure, continuing to motor the engine for 60 seconds. I instructed the first officer to send fire trucks. No cockpit indications of a fire. The abnormal start checklist was not completed. The cabin evacuate/evacuation was accomplished in an orderly fashion, without injury to passenger or crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737-500 EVACED ITS PAX AFTER A TAILPIPE FIRE ON THE RAMP.

Narrative: 'NO START' #1 ENG START. ACCOMPLISHED 'NO START' CHKLIST. WHILE GND CREW WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A 'FIRE' AND CAPT OPENED HIS WINDOW TO VIEW 'FIRE,' I TALKED TO PAX ON PA. IN THE MIDDLE OF TELLING THEM ABOUT PROB, CAPT INITIATED EVAC. CABIN WAS EVACED THROUGH R SIDE OF ACFT (DOORS 1 AND 2 R) WITH NO INJURIES. I WAS LAST PERSON OFF ACFT. THE CAPT WAS NOT AROUND, SO MAINT PERSON AND MYSELF WENT UP SLIDE BACK INTO ACFT, REMOVED SLIDES, AND SAT IN FLT DECK WHILE B737-500 TOWED BACK INTO GATE. PEOPLE CAME BACK ON TO REMOVE BELONGINGS AND I LEFT ACFT. GOOD PROCS, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE CAPT SHOULD HAVE INITIATED EVAC FOR CONTAINED TAILPIPE FIRE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 340034: #1 ENG STABILIZED AT 28 PERCENT N2 WITH NO EGT INDICATIONS. WE BEGAN THE ABNORMAL START PROC, CONTINUING TO MOTOR THE ENG FOR 60 SECONDS. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO SEND FIRE TRUCKS. NO COCKPIT INDICATIONS OF A FIRE. THE ABNORMAL START CHKLIST WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE CABIN EVAC WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, WITHOUT INJURY TO PAX OR CREW.

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.