Can somebody break it down for a non-CRJ pilot please?
She activated the start system to "motor" the engine, and it went to high power? I assume there's no button for this, and so the thrust lever must not have been at idle. Still, isn't there a separate switch to control the fuel supply to the engine? How did she inadvertently start the engine?
Can somebody break it down for a non-CRJ pilot please?
She activated the start system to "motor" the engine, and it went to high power? I assume there's no button for this, and so the thrust lever must not have been at idle. Still, isn't there a separate switch to control the fuel supply to the engine? How did she inadvertently start the engine?
The start button begins the process, when pressed it opens the appropriate valves to allow bleed air into the air turbine starter (basically spins the engine core). There is no fuel cutoff switch, there is a detent below flight idle on the thrust lever which is the fuel cutoff position. This is how the engine is shut down normally, the only other way to cut off fuel to the engine is with the engine fire button. So, if the thrust lever was positioned out of the fuel cutoff position, the fuel would be introduced as soon as the core started rotating. As far as the ignition goes, I pretty much only flew the CRJ200, and there was a button which armed the ignition, basically started firing the igniters as soon as the engine began spinning, and shutoff as soon as the start sequence was done. The 700/900 has auto-igntion, I kind of forgot how that works, maybe someone else can fill in the rest. I would imagine though, based on the results, that it started firing as soon as the start button was pressed, and with the thrust lever full foward, well, you can see what happened.
....so the thrust lever must not have been at idle. Still, isn't there a separate switch to control the fuel supply to the engine? How did she inadvertently start the engine?
Not like a Boeing... no separate fuel control. The thrust lever is also the fuel cutoff.
So, crank it with auto ignition and fuel getting pumped in, and it lights off. But, the automation does have several parameters that will abort a start. As was previously mentioned, introducing fuel even one degree over the 120 degree ITT limit will abort.
Not sure how that happened, unless she actually did move the thrust levers at the appropriate time in the start cycle.
Don't know about the 7 or 9 but the 200 will. I work the ramp for Skywest/Midwest Connect as an Eagle ramper in BNA. We were about ready to push the CR2 out. When I walked over the CA had already started both engines prior to being pulled up onto the Lektro (he did get the clear to start signal from another ramper who is new...he now knows not to let them start until the push has begun). When I put on the headset and asked the CA if he was ready to push he acted surprised that he was getting pushed and not powering out...we never power out of any gate with a jetbridge. When he released the brakes and I started to winch him up onto the lektro the AC rolled forward all the way onto the lift ramp under its own power and I could definately feel the force from the engines durring pushback. So either he didn't have the engines at idle or it has enough thrust to push the plane at idle.
Kinda scary having that nose cone coming right at my head and having no way to stop it. Not to mention I couldn't get the safety line tight because the lecktro has a switch that shuts off the winch once the gear is all the way on the lift ramp.
It says the aircraft are valued at 100 million but that only one is a total loss. So maybe the loss here will be far less than initially anticipated. I hope so, as this would be quite a blow to take. I imagine this is why they have insurance, regardless.
Kinda scary having that nose cone coming right at my head and having no way to stop it. Not to mention I couldn't get the safety line tight because the lecktro has a switch that shuts off the winch once the gear is all the way on the lift ramp.
Pushback is a frightening evolution no matter how it's conducted, although I must say I have a passionate dislike of the machines that pick up the nosewheel rather than using a towbar as God intended.
In this accident, I'm ridiculously happy nobody was hurt. Now, maybe we'll see the insanity of doing engine run-ups anywhere but out at a runup pad.
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