B737-400 flight crew begins start sequence on #2 engine while huffer hose and ramper are directly in...

Attributes
ACN	700454
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	700454
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

The APU is on MEL on this aircraft. I was operating the huffer truck; positioned on the right side of the aircraft almost in front of the #2 engine. After starting the #1 engine the pilot proceeded to start #2 engine with the huffer hose and myself standing directly in front of the motor. Please keep in mind that this obviously is not the correct and safe procedure to start #2 engine. Due to the proximity of huffer truck; the huffer hose; and the truck operator; #2 engine is started after being pushed back from the gate. The pushback crew had a faulty headset so they could not communicate with the pilot. I had to run to the front of the aircraft and get the flight crew's attention to stop #2 engine from rotating. The flight crew was not aware of what was happening until I got their attention and then they proceeded to shut down #2 engine. I believe that this one was a close call and I am glad nobody was hurt or even worse.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLT CREW BEGINS START SEQUENCE ON #2 ENG WHILE HUFFER HOSE AND RAMPER ARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ENG. START SUBSEQUENTLY DISCONTINUED.

Narrative: THE APU IS ON MEL ON THIS ACFT. I WAS OPERATING THE HUFFER TRUCK; POSITIONED ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT ALMOST IN FRONT OF THE #2 ENG. AFTER STARTING THE #1 ENG THE PLT PROCEEDED TO START #2 ENG WITH THE HUFFER HOSE AND MYSELF STANDING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE MOTOR. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE CORRECT AND SAFE PROC TO START #2 ENG. DUE TO THE PROX OF HUFFER TRUCK; THE HUFFER HOSE; AND THE TRUCK OPERATOR; #2 ENG IS STARTED AFTER BEING PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE. THE PUSHBACK CREW HAD A FAULTY HEADSET SO THEY COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE PLT. I HAD TO RUN TO THE FRONT OF THE ACFT AND GET THE FLT CREW'S ATTENTION TO STOP #2 ENG FROM ROTATING. THE FLT CREW WAS NOT AWARE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING UNTIL I GOT THEIR ATTENTION AND THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO SHUT DOWN #2 ENG. I BELIEVE THAT THIS ONE WAS A CLOSE CALL AND I AM GLAD NOBODY WAS HURT OR EVEN WORSE.

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.

B737-400 flight crew begins start sequence on #2 engine while huffer hose and ramper are directly in front of engine. Start subsequently discontinued.