What to do if an ERJ engine has a hung start: turn the affected engine to STOP

Hung Start on the ERJ: When to Hit STOP and Why It Keeps You Safe

If you’ve ever watched an engine start and noticed the N1 needle stalling, you know the moment can feel a little like a warning light blinking in your peripheral vision. A hung start isn’t a disaster, but it is a signal that the start sequence isn’t going as it should. For SkyWest ERJ pilots and students exploring SkyWest CQ (Cockpit Qualification) and KV (Knowledge Validation) topics, understanding what to do—and what not to do—is what keeps everyone safe and confident up there.

Let me explain what a hung start really means

During a normal start, the engine’s RPM should climb smoothly to a stabilized value, with steady fuel flow, clean engine parameters, and a predictable sequence of light-offs and evidence of airflow. A hung start happens when the engine doesn’t reach its intended RPM or stabilize within the expected window. The RPM might creep upward very slowly, then stall, or sit stubbornly at a low value while everything else in the cockpit screams “this isn’t right.”

Think of it like a car engine that won’t catch; you keep giving it gas, but the engine refuses to take hold. In aviation, that hesitation isn’t just annoying—it’s potentially dangerous. You’re trying to start a machine that’s supposed to be ready for takeoff, and if something’s off, you don’t press your luck with the same routine you’d use for a normal start.

The correct move is clear: turn the affected engine to STOP

If you’re faced with a hung start, the right action is to turn the affected engine to STOP. This means using the engine control to halt the start sequence for that engine. It’s not mysterious or dramatic; it’s a deliberate step designed to prevent further damage and to create a safe, controlled environment for diagnosis and next steps.

Why this matters

Why not simply push harder, try a second start, or pull back on the idea of stopping a bit and continuing? Because a hung start can mask underlying issues—fuel flow irregularities, ignition faults, or a compressor stall—issues that don’t resolve themselves with more thrust or with a hurried restart. If you try to “muscle through,” you risk overheating, abnormal exhaust gas temperatures, and, in the worst case, engine damage. Shutting down the affected engine promptly reduces these risks and gives the crew a clearer platform to assess and remediate.

A quick, practical mindset you can carry

Here’s a simple way to frame it when you’re in the cockpit, and it’s not about memorizing a bunch of heroics. It’s about staying calm, following the SOPs, and keeping everyone aligned.

• Detect and confirm: If the engine start doesn’t progress to a normal RPM and stabilize, you’ve got a hung start. Check the indicators—N1, N2, EGT, fuel flow, ITT—and listen for unusual engine noises. The goal is a rapid, clear assessment, not a frenzy of activity.

• Stop the affected engine: Move the engine control to STOP for the engine that’s hung. This is the decisive action that stops the start attempt and protects the engine from further strain.

• Secure and reassess: After you stop the engine, secure the start procedure and review the situation with your crew. Look for obvious causes (fuel supply issues, ignition faults, bleed air problems) and verify there’s no other abnormal condition in the airplane systems.

• Pause before retrying: If the SOP allows, you’ll typically log the event, run the QRH (Emergency Procedures Manual) guidance, and decide whether a later retry (on a different engine or after troubleshooting) is appropriate. Rushing a restart when something’s not right can magnify the issue.

• Communicate clearly: Good CRM matters here. The captain sets the plan, the first officer confirms the actions, and everyone uses standard callouts. When we’re under pressure, precise communication is what keeps the team synchronized.

A note on how this ties into SkyWest CQ and KV

CQ and KV aren’t just about cramming facts into memory; they’re about the real-world rhythm of flying safely. The hung-start scenario emphasizes a few core ideas that recur in training and daily operations:

• Clear decision points: Knowing when to stop a process is as important as knowing how to start it. In aviation, timing can be everything.

• System awareness: The start sequence is a dashboard of how the engine and airplane systems are interacting. If something’s off, you’ll usually see it in the numbers before it becomes a bigger issue.

• Procedural discipline: SOPs, QRH guidance, and crew coordination aren’t boring hoops to jump through. They’re designed to prevent mistakes when the pressure is on.

• Calm, confident execution: A controlled response, not panic, is how you protect the aircraft, the passengers, and the crew.

What not to do, and why it would backfire

• Do not push thrust in a hung start in the hope that the engine will “catch up.” That approach can push the engine past its safe operating envelope and lead to overheating or mechanical failure.

• Do not continue with the start process if a clear hung start signal is present. Skipping the STOP action delays diagnosis and can compound the underlying fault.

• Do not blanketly shut down all engines. The data and the aircraft state after a single engine’s stop are what guide the next steps. Shutting down everything can complicate otherwise straightforward troubleshooting.

A little cockpit realism: the feel of a Hung Start

When you’re in the simulator or a real flight, the cockpit send-up is a symphony of cues. The RPM needle stalls, the audio tone changes, and the flight deck lights might flicker with the tremor of unexpected engine behavior. You’re not chasing a miracle; you’re chasing clarity. The moment you acknowledge the problem and switch to STOP for the affected engine, you’re taking control back from the situation. That clarity is what separates routine starts from potential safety concerns.

A practical takeaway you can carry into SkyWest ERJ operations

• Memorize the key response: hung start equals STOP the affected engine. It’s simple, but it’s a critical safeguard.

• Build a mental short list for the moment: detect, STOP, secure & assess, consider a retry after review. Short, repeatable, reliable.

• Practice the language of the crew: crisp callouts, precise actions, and a shared plan. Good CRM turns a tense moment into a coordinated, safe process.

• Keep a finger on the numbers: know what normal RPM looks like for the ERJ during a start, what a typical ITT or EGT range should be, and where the red flags usually sit. If you’re unsure in the moment, the SOPs will anchor you.

• Tie it back to CQ and KV: the knowledge you gain isn’t just trivia. It’s how you navigate decisions under pressure, how you read the airplane’s signals, and how you work with a team to keep everyone safe.

A small digression about learning culture

A lot of this comes down to practice—not just practicing for a quiz or a checkride, but practicing how you think under pressure. When you study CQ and KV, you’re training your ability to spot deviations, to call them out, and to act decisively in a way that preserves safety. The ERJ cockpit isn’t a place for bravado. It’s a place for disciplined action, clear communication, and a culture where stopping a process before it goes wrong is seen as smart, not timid.

In the end, the hung-start scenario is more about what you do next than about what went wrong in the first place. It’s the test of your judgment and your teamwork. And that’s exactly what SkyWest pilots train for—the quiet confidence that comes from knowing you’ve got a reliable, repeatable plan, even when the air is a little uneasy.

If you want to anchor this in memory, try this simple mental cue: when the start stalls, stop the engine. When you stop, you learn why it stalled. When you learn why, you can plan the next move with purpose. That’s the essence of CQ and KV knowledge in action—practical, process-driven, and very much grounded in real-world safety.

A friendly wrap-up

Engine starts are one of those routine tasks that feel routine because they’re well understood—until something goes off-script. The beauty of approaching it with calm, with a defined STOP for the affected engine, and with a clear, crew-centered plan, is that you keep the airplane in a safe envelope while you figure out the why. SkyWest ERJ pilots who internalize this mindset don’t just pass through the start sequence; they own it, and they own their safety and their teamwork in the process.

So, the next time you hear that RPM hesitate, remember the simplest rule: stop the affected engine. You might be surprised how often that one, straightforward decision keeps everything else on track. And that’s the kind of clarity that makes the SkyWest line feel less like a test and more like a well-rehearsed dance—tight, coordinated, and safe.