A319 flight crew has APU fire during start.

Attributes
ACN	708066
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time total : 150 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	708066
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : apu fire warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Arrived at the gate with the aircraft hooked to ground power; ground air and batteries off. We decided to start the APU because the ground air was not keeping up. I instructed the first officer to start it up and saw him push the switches; a few seconds I was taken back by a noisy power xfer and saw the APU discharge light on; along with a red fire light. I told the first officer to leave and on my way out the forward galley called the flight attendants on the PA and told them to move off to the jetway. I exited the door and confirmed smoke at the tail cone area. I then used the aircraft radio to request crash fire rescue equipment. By this time the first officer (who had just finished IOE the day before) was still fumbling with the fom had found the action required. Fire was out by this time; start (saw light) to finish (crash fire rescue equipment on scene) about 3-4 mins. Maintenance found broken oil line. The only thing I am unsure of is; when was the aircraft placed on the gate and the APU shut down. Was there enough time from when it was shut down to when we tried to start for it to clear itself.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW HAS APU FIRE DURING START.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT THE GATE WITH THE ACFT HOOKED TO GND PWR; GND AIR AND BATTERIES OFF. WE DECIDED TO START THE APU BECAUSE THE GND AIR WAS NOT KEEPING UP. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO START IT UP AND SAW HIM PUSH THE SWITCHES; A FEW SECONDS I WAS TAKEN BACK BY A NOISY PWR XFER AND SAW THE APU DISCHARGE LIGHT ON; ALONG WITH A RED FIRE LIGHT. I TOLD THE FO TO LEAVE AND ON MY WAY OUT THE FORWARD GALLEY CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANTS ON THE PA AND TOLD THEM TO MOVE OFF TO THE JETWAY. I EXITED THE DOOR AND CONFIRMED SMOKE AT THE TAIL CONE AREA. I THEN USED THE ACFT RADIO TO REQUEST CFR. BY THIS TIME THE FO (WHO HAD JUST FINISHED IOE THE DAY BEFORE) WAS STILL FUMBLING WITH THE FOM HAD FOUND THE ACTION REQUIRED. FIRE WAS OUT BY THIS TIME; START (SAW LIGHT) TO FINISH (CFR ON SCENE) ABOUT 3-4 MINS. MAINT FOUND BROKEN OIL LINE. THE ONLY THING I AM UNSURE OF IS; WHEN WAS THE ACFT PLACED ON THE GATE AND THE APU SHUT DOWN. WAS THERE ENOUGH TIME FROM WHEN IT WAS SHUT DOWN TO WHEN WE TRIED TO START FOR IT TO CLEAR ITSELF.

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.