Narrative:

Left engine not running at takeoff point. Probable cause: the captain was somehow distraction and failed to start the left engine at pushback. Several clues started to surface as we taxied out (even though we ran the after start checklist): 1) I noticed more breakaway power to taxi, even though we weighed only 115000 pounds. 2) the overwing heat light had not illuminated after start and prior to takeoff. We reset it. 3) the flight attendant called to ask for galley power as we taxied. 4) the most obvious clue -- the left engine gauges all showed that it was not operating as we approached the runway. We asked for clearance back to the gate. During taxi-back, I noticed the fuel lever was in the 'off' position. To my embarrassment, I realized that probably the only problem was that the engine had never been started in the first place. This was confirmed by a 'zero' reading on the left fuel used gauge. We stopped the jet close to the departure end on taxiway a, told maintenance control what happened, started the engine and with maintenance controller concurrence, continued the flight. To this moment, neither the first officer nor I can remember what distraction us from starting the left engine initially, but it happened! We both know to monitor the start sequence together and to complete all checklists. The 'clues' mentioned above got our attention and, fortunately, the problem was solved on the ground and safely. Supplemental information from acn 602088: as we taxied out to runway 16L the a flight attendant called and asked for galley power, the galley power switch was on. At that time, we noticed the overwing heater light was not illuminated so we reset the overwing heater. Waiting for the overwing heat light to illuminate, and we pwred up to take the runway, I noticed the left engine oil pressure light illuminated on the overhead, and we still had no overwing heat light. After a quick review of the engine instruments, we realized the left engine was not running. Once clear of the runway, we found the left engine fuel lever was in the off position. The left fuel used gauge also read zero. With a simple observation, and unbelievable mindset, we realized that we must not have started the left engine at the engine start. Why did we miss starting the left engine? I am dumb-founded that this could even happen, but at the same time, I have no clear answer. I monitored the right engine start as required, but for some reason, a distraction of some kind, not only did I not monitor the left engine start, I didn't even realize I didn't monitor the start. We completed the after start checklist and proceeded to taxi. The only things I can come up with is either the ACARS message, a radio call, or the disconnect from the tug. One of these must have come past the right time to kick me out of a routine. As you can see, I picked up the routine somewhere down the road from where I left off. I wish I could give you a precise answer, but I honestly cannot recall the exact time I was side-tracked. If I could determine what caused the distraction, I feel that this would not have happened at all.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW TAXIED TO RWY FOR TKOF WITHOUT STARTING THE #1 ENG.

Narrative: L ENG NOT RUNNING AT TKOF POINT. PROBABLE CAUSE: THE CAPT WAS SOMEHOW DISTR AND FAILED TO START THE L ENG AT PUSHBACK. SEVERAL CLUES STARTED TO SURFACE AS WE TAXIED OUT (EVEN THOUGH WE RAN THE AFTER START CHKLIST): 1) I NOTICED MORE BREAKAWAY PWR TO TAXI, EVEN THOUGH WE WEIGHED ONLY 115000 LBS. 2) THE OVERWING HEAT LIGHT HAD NOT ILLUMINATED AFTER START AND PRIOR TO TKOF. WE RESET IT. 3) THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO ASK FOR GALLEY PWR AS WE TAXIED. 4) THE MOST OBVIOUS CLUE -- THE L ENG GAUGES ALL SHOWED THAT IT WAS NOT OPERATING AS WE APCHED THE RWY. WE ASKED FOR CLRNC BACK TO THE GATE. DURING TAXI-BACK, I NOTICED THE FUEL LEVER WAS IN THE 'OFF' POS. TO MY EMBARRASSMENT, I REALIZED THAT PROBABLY THE ONLY PROB WAS THAT THE ENG HAD NEVER BEEN STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY A 'ZERO' READING ON THE L FUEL USED GAUGE. WE STOPPED THE JET CLOSE TO THE DEP END ON TXWY A, TOLD MAINT CTL WHAT HAPPENED, STARTED THE ENG AND WITH MAINT CTLR CONCURRENCE, CONTINUED THE FLT. TO THIS MOMENT, NEITHER THE FO NOR I CAN REMEMBER WHAT DISTR US FROM STARTING THE L ENG INITIALLY, BUT IT HAPPENED! WE BOTH KNOW TO MONITOR THE START SEQUENCE TOGETHER AND TO COMPLETE ALL CHKLISTS. THE 'CLUES' MENTIONED ABOVE GOT OUR ATTN AND, FORTUNATELY, THE PROB WAS SOLVED ON THE GND AND SAFELY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 602088: AS WE TAXIED OUT TO RWY 16L THE A FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND ASKED FOR GALLEY PWR, THE GALLEY PWR SWITCH WAS ON. AT THAT TIME, WE NOTICED THE OVERWING HEATER LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED SO WE RESET THE OVERWING HEATER. WAITING FOR THE OVERWING HEAT LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND WE PWRED UP TO TAKE THE RWY, I NOTICED THE L ENG OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE OVERHEAD, AND WE STILL HAD NO OVERWING HEAT LIGHT. AFTER A QUICK REVIEW OF THE ENG INSTS, WE REALIZED THE L ENG WAS NOT RUNNING. ONCE CLR OF THE RWY, WE FOUND THE L ENG FUEL LEVER WAS IN THE OFF POS. THE L FUEL USED GAUGE ALSO READ ZERO. WITH A SIMPLE OBSERVATION, AND UNBELIEVABLE MINDSET, WE REALIZED THAT WE MUST NOT HAVE STARTED THE L ENG AT THE ENG START. WHY DID WE MISS STARTING THE L ENG? I AM DUMB-FOUNDED THAT THIS COULD EVEN HAPPEN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I HAVE NO CLR ANSWER. I MONITORED THE R ENG START AS REQUIRED, BUT FOR SOME REASON, A DISTR OF SOME KIND, NOT ONLY DID I NOT MONITOR THE L ENG START, I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE I DIDN'T MONITOR THE START. WE COMPLETED THE AFTER START CHKLIST AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI. THE ONLY THINGS I CAN COME UP WITH IS EITHER THE ACARS MESSAGE, A RADIO CALL, OR THE DISCONNECT FROM THE TUG. ONE OF THESE MUST HAVE COME PAST THE RIGHT TIME TO KICK ME OUT OF A ROUTINE. AS YOU CAN SEE, I PICKED UP THE ROUTINE SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD FROM WHERE I LEFT OFF. I WISH I COULD GIVE YOU A PRECISE ANSWER, BUT I HONESTLY CANNOT RECALL THE EXACT TIME I WAS SIDE-TRACKED. IF I COULD DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE DISTR, I FEEL THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT ALL.

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.