AN ADVANCED ACFT SUFFERS A TAILPIPE FIRE DURING ENG START AT ATL; GA. NO ACFT DAMAGE WAS DONE.

Narrative

BOTH THE COPLT AND I ARE RELATIVELY NEW ON THE ACFT. COPLT HAD APPROX 100 HRS; I HAD APPROX 180 HRS. WE HAD THE L ENG (#1) RUNNING AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING THE R ENG (#2). WHILE WAITING FOR THE ENG TO ESTABLISH AT IDLE; I ASKED THE COPLT TO CALL FOR TAXI CLRNC. HE CALLED AND RECEIVED CLRNC AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HIS TAXI CHKLIST ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE SHUTTING OFF THE BLEED AIR SOURCE TO THE ENG. THE ENG STARTER SHUT DOWN WITH FUEL FLOW STILL APPLIED AND WE HAD AN ENG TAILPIPE FIRE. THE FIRE BURNED ITSELF OUT IN SHORT ORDER WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR ENG. PAX WERE NOT EVACED. AFTER THOROUGH MAINT INSPECTION THE FLT WAS CONTINUED. CAUSE: 1) CALLING FOR TAXI CLRNC BEFORE ENG START COMPLETE. 2) RELATIVELY NEW COPLT AND CAPT ON EQUIP PAIRED TOGETHER. 3) COMPANY TRAINING DOES NOT COVER ENG SHUT DOWN FOR OTHER THAN MECHANICAL FAILURES. WE DID NOT DO AN ABORTED START CHKLIST BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE ACFT ENG. (WE SHOULD HAVE AND THAT WOULD HAVE BLOWN THE EXCESS FUEL FROM THE ENG.) FOR EXAMPLE; COMPLETE ALL APPLICABLE ABNORMAL CHKLISTS.