When an off-duty flight attendant seated in the aft cabin of a U.S. Airways Boeing 737 saw flames emerging from the No 2 engine and told the duty flight attendant that it was on fire, the latter opened both aft cabin doors, deployed the slides and initiated an evacuation.
When an off-duty flight attendant seated in the aft cabin of a U.S. Airways Boeing 737 saw flames emerging from the No 2 engine and told the duty flight attendant that it was on fire, the latter opened both aft cabin doors, deployed the slides and initiated an evacuation.
The aircraft had just been pushed back for its first flight of the day from Tampa, Florida. The flight crew had been unable to start the engine until the maintenance crew suggested they reset ignition circuit breakers which had been pulled to allow a borescope inspection the night before.
Consequently, when the engine did finally start, flames emerged from the rear of the nacelle. The crew in the cockpit only found out their passengers were leaving the aircraft when they were informed by ground staff.
