An A320 flight crew inadvertently start the wrong engine on pushback.

Attributes
ACN	601924
Time
Date	200311
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2900 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	601924
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During pushback, ground crew notified we were cleared to start #1 engine only, due to late arriving bags being loaded after pushback. I relayed this to first officer and received verbal acknowledgement. I then directed my attention to pushback operation, set brakes, and communicated with ground crew. When I returned my attention back to monitor engine start, I noticed engine #2 was being started, not #1. I then observed baggage loaders walking away from the aircraft either unaware or unconcerned about #2 engine being started. I queried first officer about discrepancies in engine selection, and he stated he made a mistake. Fortunately, no harm or damage occurred to anything but my heart rate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY START THE WRONG ENG ON PUSHBACK.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK, GND CREW NOTIFIED WE WERE CLRED TO START #1 ENG ONLY, DUE TO LATE ARRIVING BAGS BEING LOADED AFTER PUSHBACK. I RELAYED THIS TO FO AND RECEIVED VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. I THEN DIRECTED MY ATTN TO PUSHBACK OP, SET BRAKES, AND COMMUNICATED WITH GND CREW. WHEN I RETURNED MY ATTN BACK TO MONITOR ENG START, I NOTICED ENG #2 WAS BEING STARTED, NOT #1. I THEN OBSERVED BAGGAGE LOADERS WALKING AWAY FROM THE ACFT EITHER UNAWARE OR UNCONCERNED ABOUT #2 ENG BEING STARTED. I QUERIED FO ABOUT DISCREPANCIES IN ENG SELECTION, AND HE STATED HE MADE A MISTAKE. FORTUNATELY, NO HARM OR DAMAGE OCCURRED TO ANYTHING BUT MY HEART RATE.

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.