Passengers initiated aircraft evacuation when APU observed torching during start.

Attributes
ACN	96729
Time
Date	198810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 13500
ASRS Report	96729
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While entering gate at lax and starting the APU, rapid chimes from flight attendant, followed by aft entry door light coming on. Stopped aircraft 20 ft short of gate. Attempted to contact flight attendant. No contact. When other exits indicated being opened, shutdown all engines. Opened cockpit door and first flight attendant said passengers in the rear were evacuating. Second officer made passenger announcement that the problem was corrected. He had shut down the APU. First flight attendant also made an announcement to stop leaving the aircraft. The jetway was positioned to door 1L to deplane the remaining passengers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PASSENGERS INITIATED ACFT EVACUATION WHEN APU OBSERVED TORCHING DURING START.

Narrative: WHILE ENTERING GATE AT LAX AND STARTING THE APU, RAPID CHIMES FROM FLIGHT ATTENDANT, FOLLOWED BY AFT ENTRY DOOR LIGHT COMING ON. STOPPED ACFT 20 FT SHORT OF GATE. ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT FLIGHT ATTENDANT. NO CONTACT. WHEN OTHER EXITS INDICATED BEING OPENED, SHUTDOWN ALL ENGINES. OPENED COCKPIT DOOR AND FIRST FLIGHT ATTENDANT SAID PASSENGERS IN THE REAR WERE EVACUATING. S/O MADE PAX ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. HE HAD SHUT DOWN THE APU. FIRST FLIGHT ATTENDANT ALSO MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO STOP LEAVING THE ACFT. THE JETWAY WAS POSITIONED TO DOOR 1L TO DEPLANE THE REMAINING PASSENGERS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.