Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 10000; Flight Crew Type 3000
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
After pushing back we taxied on 1 engine for Runway 8.  Our clearance was to taxi to Runway 8.  I told the First Officer (FO) to start engine #2 using the APU when we were northbound on taxiway Mike.  During the initial start sequence; we received an ECAM for APU Bleed valve not open.  He aborted the start and I directed him to cycle the APU Bleed switch on the overhead.  A second start was accomplished and the bleed valve opened properly.  I observed 26 psi prior to start and after the start valve opened I observed 32 psi.  Shortly after; the FO informed me that the EGT was getting close to max.  I looked down and saw the EGT right at the 635 degree line.  We then received an ECAM for Engine 2 EGT Overlimit. I then observed the start valve close; then re-open a short time later and I assumed the FADEC was aborting the start and motoring the engine.  The FO began referencing the appropriate checklist.  The FO then said the temp is still going up.  I observed the EGT at 711 degrees.  I told tower we needed to head to the Echo pad to work a problem and they issued us a clearance.  I looked down again at #2 EGT and saw 788 degrees.  I asked tower if he could take a look at the #2 engine on right side of aircraft and tell us what he saw.  He said the whole inside of the #2 engine was bright red and glowing.  Immediately afterwards an AC further south said there were flames and the #2 engine was on fire.  I told the FO to [notify ATC] and roll the trucks.  I stopped the aircraft on taxiway and directed the FO run the Engine Fire on the Ground checklist.  He ran the checklist and I accomplished all the steps up to and including firing both bottles.  I called the Flight Attendant and asked her to go aft of the over wing exit to see if she could see any fire outside.  I told tower we needed to continue in case we had to evacuate the aircraft.  I didn't like where we were sitting if we had to evacuate with a fire on the right side.  The Flight Attendant advised me she couldn't see any sign of a fire by the #2 engine.  Tower advised us he could no longer see the glow or fire and that the trucks were on the way.  I made a quick PA to the passengers advising them that we had an engine start malfunction and AARF was going to be coming up around the aircraft for an inspection and that I would advise them further.  I parked the aircraft and made communications with Fire/Rescue Chief. I advised him of our situation and they made an inspection.  He advised the engine was clear.  I told him we were headed back to the gate and requested they follow us to which he said they would.  I advised the flight attendants and then made a short PA to the passengers advising them of the plan.  We taxied back and shut down uneventfully.  Once our checklists were complete; I saw 2 ECAMs on the ECAM screen. Engine 2 Shutdown and Engine 2 Start Fault No N1 Rotation.  This last ECAM populated afterwards and was not part of the previous ECAMs I have talked about.  I am not sure when this ECAM came up but neither myself or the FO saw it during all the previous events.  Afterwards the FO advised me that after we received the Engine 2 EGT Overlimit ECAM; he observed the fuel flow at around 500 lbs +- and that fuel was never shut off from the engine during the entire motoring sequence by the FADEC. I then thanked the Fire Chief; de-briefed maintenance in the cockpit; called Dispatch; debriefed Maintenance Control on the phone and he made a lengthy logbook write up and finally debriefed the Duty Manager.
We pushed back single engine and planned to start number 2 on the taxiway. When I went to start number 2; I noticed the N2 seemed slower to accelerate than normal for the EGT I was seeing. I mentioned to the captain that the EGT was getting hot when we received an ECAM message. I think it was ENG 2 EGT OVER LIMIT. The thing that stuck me; the ECAM said to turn the transponder to TA which seemed odd to me. I referenced the QRH to see if it expanded on what to do. I started reading the EGT OVER LIMIT and it seemed to me this was an airborne checklist and did not fit our situation. It said the FADEC 'automatically reduces the engine power below idle' but the fuel was still flowing around 500 lbs/hr and the EGT was still climbing. I started to look for an unannunciated engine start malfunction checklist under the Engine/APU tab; but I did not see anything listed that matched our situation. The Captain asked the ground controller if they could see anything happening with our right engine. It was dark and ATC said they could see a glow. Another aircraft on the radio said they could see a lick of flame. The Captain told me to [notify ATC] and roll the trucks as he put the aircraft in a place for a possible evacuation.Once stopped; we ran the Engine 2 Fire (Ground) checklist. We fired both bottles but stopped at the evacuation command. The Captain got more information from the Lead Flight Attendant as well as from the Crash Fire Rescue team on the scene. We elected not to evacuate.With the EGT finally starting to get lower and no signs of fire; we coordinated a return to the gate.At the gate; we went over what had happened. We saw the following:ENG 2 SHUTDOWNENG 2 START FAULT -No N1 rotation.In the QRH; under the section 'On the ground (auto start):''If the engine does not start or in case of detected stall; potential EGT overheat or hung start; the FADEC will immediately shut off the fuel and turn off the ignition. After any start attempt that is not successful; a dry crank automatically occurs. At the end of the dry crank sequence; the start valve is closed. The ECAM displays the AUTO CRANK IN PROGRESS message.'I did not see this occur. The fuel kept flowing and I never saw the auto crank message.It appeared the FADEC didn't do what either of us expected it to do.
A319 flight crew experiences a hung start on engine number two during taxi out; with excessive EGT and no automatic shutdown. When fire is reported by another aircraft the fire buttons are pushed and both fire bottles are discharged and fire trucks summoned. The EGT exceeded 780C during the aborted start.