A B767-300; DURING L ENG START; NO N2 ROTATION NOTED; BUT HAD GND RPT OF SMOKE FROM ENG. FIRE BOTTLE DISCHARGED INTO ENG.

Narrative

DURING THE PUSHBACK WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE L ENG THE FO NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO N2 ROTATION. I ASKED HIM TO VERIFY THAT THE APU BLEED WAS ON AND THAT THE DUCT PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. I THEN CONTACTED THE TUG DRIVER TO STOP THE PUSH BECAUSE OF THE START PROB AND THE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THE ABNORMAL START CHKLIST AND TO CONTACT MAINT CTLR. I THEN ASKED THE FO TO RUN THE ABNORMAL START QRC; WHICH HE ALREADY HAD OUT. AS HE WENT TO THE FLT MANUAL FOR THE REF ITEMS; WE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE TUG DRIVER CALLED SAYING THAT HE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE L ENG. I ASKED HIM IF HE SAW ANY FIRE OR FLAMES. HE SAID HE WAS NOT SURE; AND THAT A MECH WAS NEARBY. THE MECH SAID THAT HE SAW A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE L ENG. HE SUGGESTED THAT I DISCHARGE THE FIRE BOTTLE FOR THE L ENG; WHICH I DID. I ASKED HIM TO VERIFY THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE ASAP. I WAS THINKING THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO EVAC THE ACFT. THERE WAS NO FIRE WARNING INDICATION OR ANY EICAS MESSAGE DISPLAYED. HE VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE. NO EVAC WAS ORDERED. I ASKED HIM TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE ENG FOR ANY SIGNS OF FIRE. I THEN CALLED TO THE CABIN AND TALKED TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT. WE WERE THEN TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. THE MECH CAME ON BOARD AND SAID THAT THE STARTER HAD FAILED. I DEBRIEFED THE MECH TELLING HIM THAT WE NEVER HAD ANY N2 ROTATION; THAT NO FUEL WAS INTRODUCED; NO FIRE WARNINGS OR ANY EICAS MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED AND THAT THE ABNORMAL START CHKLIST HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. I THEN WENT BACK TO THE CABIN TO TALK TO OUR FLT ATTENDANTS AND CUSTOMERS. I ADVISED DISPATCH. SOME HUMAN FACTORS WERE THAT; DURING THE PUSHBACK; THE TUG DRIVER BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER ACFT TFC IN THE PUSH AREA WHICH REQUIRED THE FLT CREW TO VERIFY THE PUSH CLRNC; SOMEWHAT DISTRACTING. THE MECH PROVIDED EXCELLENT AND TIMELY INFO AND MOST LIKELY PREVENTED THE EVAC.