Narrative:

Dispatched with APU inoperative. Upon arrival at lga; advised operations that APU was inoperative and that we would need to start an engine at the gate. They responded that they were aware of our situation. After pushback was complete; but prior to starting #2 engine; I asked push crew to verify area was clear behind us to do a xbleed start on #2 engine. Ground crew advised it was clear behind us and that we were cleared to start #2 engine. While I looked outside for the salute and release from the ground crew; I asked my first officer to advance the #1 engine as I would be looking outside. Shortly after. He advanced the #1 engine and introduced the fuel. I told him that if he had not advised lga ramp of our xbleed start; to do so now. Lga ramp advised they had not been informed and that there was an aircraft behind us now. They did not mention if there were any people or a push crew behind us. They also did not tell us to abort the start. Due to the fact that ramp advised us that only an airplane was behind us; and as we were more than 1/2 way through the start; we continued and finished the start. I feel fatigue had definitely played a role in this incident. I had gone to bed at XA00 the previous night and slept good for 5 hours. However; I was unable to fall back asleep after that. During our ground situation in lga; I felt sluggish and tired; but felt I could continue. Supplemental information from acn 671090: I heard an aircraft behind us ask for our flight number and operations phone number. I assume we may have blown them around.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW RPTS JETBLAST DURING XBLEED START MAY HAVE CAUSED DISTRESS TO ACFT BEHIND THEM.

Narrative: DISPATCHED WITH APU INOP. UPON ARR AT LGA; ADVISED OPS THAT APU WAS INOP AND THAT WE WOULD NEED TO START AN ENG AT THE GATE. THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF OUR SITUATION. AFTER PUSHBACK WAS COMPLETE; BUT PRIOR TO STARTING #2 ENG; I ASKED PUSH CREW TO VERIFY AREA WAS CLR BEHIND US TO DO A XBLEED START ON #2 ENG. GND CREW ADVISED IT WAS CLR BEHIND US AND THAT WE WERE CLRED TO START #2 ENG. WHILE I LOOKED OUTSIDE FOR THE SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM THE GND CREW; I ASKED MY FO TO ADVANCE THE #1 ENG AS I WOULD BE LOOKING OUTSIDE. SHORTLY AFTER. HE ADVANCED THE #1 ENG AND INTRODUCED THE FUEL. I TOLD HIM THAT IF HE HAD NOT ADVISED LGA RAMP OF OUR XBLEED START; TO DO SO NOW. LGA RAMP ADVISED THEY HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED AND THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT BEHIND US NOW. THEY DID NOT MENTION IF THERE WERE ANY PEOPLE OR A PUSH CREW BEHIND US. THEY ALSO DID NOT TELL US TO ABORT THE START. DUE TO THE FACT THAT RAMP ADVISED US THAT ONLY AN AIRPLANE WAS BEHIND US; AND AS WE WERE MORE THAN 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE START; WE CONTINUED AND FINISHED THE START. I FEEL FATIGUE HAD DEFINITELY PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS INCIDENT. I HAD GONE TO BED AT XA00 THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND SLEPT GOOD FOR 5 HRS. HOWEVER; I WAS UNABLE TO FALL BACK ASLEEP AFTER THAT. DURING OUR GND SIT IN LGA; I FELT SLUGGISH AND TIRED; BUT FELT I COULD CONTINUE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 671090: I HEARD AN ACFT BEHIND US ASK FOR OUR FLT NUMBER AND OPS PHONE NUMBER. I ASSUME WE MAY HAVE BLOWN THEM AROUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.