A B737-300 ON ENG START L ENG FLAMED OUT DUE TO FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE REMAINED CLOSED WITH START LEVER IN IDLE. CAUSED BY LOOSE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.

Narrative

ON PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE; ENG #1 STARTED NORMALLY. ABOUT 20 SECONDS AFTER STABILIZING AT IDLE THE ENG FLAMED OUT AND ALL ENG PARAMETERS WOUND DOWN. THE START LEVER WAS POSITIVELY ENGAGED IN THE IDLE POS AND THE FUEL VALVE CLOSED LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED BRIGHT. IT IS POSSIBLE THE FUEL VALVE CLOSED LIGHT WAS BRIGHT DURING THE START. I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I DON'T LOOK AT THAT LIGHT DURING ENG START. IF THE FUEL VALVE NEVER OPENED THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ENOUGH FUEL IN THE MAIN FUEL LINE TO THE ENG TO ACCOMPLISH OUR START. I DON'T KNOW THAT EITHER. I MOVED THE START LEVER TO CUTOFF AND MOTORED ENG #1 FOR 60 SECONDS. RAMPERS RPTED A LOT OF SMOKE -- PROBABLY BECAUSE OF SURFACE WIND AROUND 15 KTS BLOWING DIRECTLY FROM 6 O'CLOCK AND THE RESIDUAL FUEL AVAILABLE TO BURN DURING APPARENT FUEL STARVATION FLAMEOUT. MAINT FOUND A SAFETY WIRED CANNON PLUG LOOSE! THEY CUT THE SAFETY WIRE AND WERE ABLE TO TIGHTEN THE CANNON PLUG 2 TURNS. THIS CANNON PLUG CARRIED THE SIGNAL FROM THE ENG START LEVER TO THE ENG FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE (IN THE ENG SPAN ON A B737-300). THEY CLEANED THE CANNON PLUG CONNECTIONS; REASSEMBLED IT TIGHTLY AND RE-SAFETY WIRED IT. TEST RAN ENG FOR 5 MINS AND SHUT IT DOWN. THEN STARTED IT A SECOND TIME ON SUBSEQUENT PUSHBACK. FLEW 4 MORE LEGS THAT DAY WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS HOW A SAFETY WIRED CANNON PLUG CAN BE LOOSE. MAINT TECHNICIANS TOLD ME THE CANNON PLUG IS IN A POS HARD TO SEE AND HARD TO REACH; WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO IT NOT BEING INSTALLED CORRECTLY (OR CONNECTED CORRECTLY). IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FUEL VALVE WOULD HAVE CLOSED WHENEVER THIS PARTICULAR CONNECTION BROKE CONTACT; WHETHER ON THE GND OR IN FLT.