ENGINE STARTED WHEN FUELING IN PROGRESS.

Narrative

WE HAD BEEN ON THE GND AT ATL FOR ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER LNDG IN ICING CONDITIONS. THE CAPT BEGAN TO START THE LEFT ENG. I LOOKED OUT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE AND SAW THAT IT WAS BEING FUELED AND I ADVISED THE CAPT. HE SAID HE WAS JUST GOING TO RUN THE LEFT ENG FOR A MINUTE TO SEE IF THE DEICE BOOTS ON THE LEFT WING WERE WORKING. THE PERSON WHO WAS FUELING CAME INSIDE THE AIRPLANE; OBVIOUSLY UPSET; AND ASKED THE CAPT IF HE KNEW HE WAS FUELING THE AIRPLANE. THE CAPT SAID HE KNEW ABOUT IT; BUT DIDN'T REALIZE THAT STARTING THE LEFT ENG WAS GOING TO EFFECT THE FUELER (ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PLANE). THE MECH; WHO HAD BEEN INSPECTING THE DEICE BOOTS; CAME INSIDE THE AIRPLANE AND TOLD THE CAPT HE NEEDED THE ENG RUN AT A HIGHER SPD. THE CAPT COMPLIED AND THE MECH WENT BACK OUTSIDE TO CHK THE BOOTS. THE CAPT AND MECH THEN HAD A SHORT DISCUSSION THROUGH THE CAPT'S WINDOW; WHICH OPENS TO THE OUTSIDE. (THE MECH PROBABLY TOLD HIM TO START THE RIGHT ENG.) THE CAPT ASKED ME IF HE WAS STILL FUELING THE AIRPLANE. I TOLD HIM THAT THE TRUCK WAS STILL THERE; BUT THE FUELER WAS NOT. THE MECH WALKED AROUND TO LOOK AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE AND THEN WALKED BACK TO THE FRONT. THE CAPT THEN STARTED THE RIGHT ENG. THE FUELER CAME BACK INTO THE PLANE AND TOLD THE CAPT THE FUEL TRUCK WAS STILL PARKED BESIDE THE PLANE. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE CAPT STARTED EITHER ENG WITH THE FUEL TRUCK BESIDE THE AIRPLANE; EXCEPT THAT HE MUST HAVE BEEN HURRYING TO FIND THE PROB WITH THE BOOTS SO THE NEXT FLT COULD GET OUT ON TIME. THE ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN; THE BOOT WAS PATCHED AND WE LEFT ON THE NEXT FLT TO GSP ABOUT 30 MINS LATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: COMPANY POLICY IS VERY SPECIFIC IN NOT OPERATING AN ENG WHEN FUELING IS IN PROGRESS. MECH WAS TROUBLESHOOTING THE DEICE SYS AND REQUESTED THE CAPT TO START THE ENG. APPARENTLY THE CAPT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT SCHEDULE MORE THAN COMPANY REGS BECAUSE THE ENG WAS STARTED. COMPANY CHIEF PLT SUGGESTED THE RPTR SUBMIT RPT TO ASRS AND THE CAPT HAS BEEN REPRIMANDED.