A DC9 ON #2 ENG START EXPERIENCED A TAILPIPE FIRE CAUSED BY FAILURE TO ACCOMPLISH THE BEFORE START CHKLIST.

Narrative

I WAS CAPT ON ACR AIRLINES XYZ FROM DTW TO MHT. WE WAITED ABOUT 20 MINS FOR A PUSHBACK TUG; AND WHEN HE ARRIVED WE HAD TROUBLE ESTABLISHING INTERPHONE COMS; THE DRIVER GOT A NEW HEADSET AND WE CALLED COMPANY RAMP CTL FOR A PUSH CLRNC. WE WERE ADVISED TO STAND BY. THEY CALLED US BACK AND ADVISED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH AFTER AN INBOUND ACFT PARKED AT GATE X-Y. ONCE IT WAS PARKED WE BEGAN THE PUSHBACK; AND WERE CLRED FOR ENG START. WHILE STARTING THE R ENG; I OBSERVED NO LIGHT OFF AND REALIZED THAT THE IGNITION WAS OFF; DUE TO THE BEFORE START CHK NOT HAVING BEEN COMPLETED. I DISCONTINUED THE START; WE RAN THE BEFORE START CHK; AND I STARTED THE L ENG WITH THE INTENTION OF COMING BACK TO THE R ENG AFTER IT HAD SPOOLED DOWN. THE FO; WHO WAS MONITORING RAMP CTL; SAID ANOTHER ACFT RPTED THAT WE HAD AN ENG FIRE. IT WAS AT THAT TIME I REALIZED THAT I HAD FAILED TO PLACE THE R FUEL CTL LEVER TO CUT OFF DURING THE ABORTED START OF THE R ENG. I THOUGHT I HAD DONE THIS; BUT SOMEHOW OVERLOOKED IT. AS A RESULT; THE FUEL IN THE R ENG LIT OFF WHEN THE IGNITION HAD BEEN TURNED OFF; RESULTING IN A TAILPIPE FIRE. WE RAN THE ENG FIRE CHKLIST; CALLED THE FIRE TRUCKS; AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. WE DID NOT DO AN EMER EVAC.