Definition
A turbine engine start in which ignition occurs but the engine fails to accelerate to its normal idle RPM, instead stabilizing at a lower-than-idle speed. Exhaust gas temperature (EGT) often climbs toward or beyond limits because the engine is producing combustion without enough airflow to cool itself. A hung start requires immediate shutdown to prevent thermal damage.
Plain English
The engine lights off during start but gets stuck spinning too slowly. It never reaches the speed it should idle at, and it can overheat quickly if left running.
Context Anchor
Encountered during turbine engine start procedures, especially while watching engine speed and temperature during start.
Derivation
Hung is used here in the sense of stuck or hanging up, like a process that stalls partway through. The engine has lit but is hung up below idle speed, unable to climb to where it should be.
Why Pilots Care
A hung start must be aborted immediately to avoid turbine damage from excessive heat.
Analogy
It is similar to a car engine that catches for a moment but never settles into a steady idle. In a turbine engine, that stuck condition can quickly create harmful heat.
Intuition Check
Hung does not mean the engine is physically suspended or has stopped completely. It means the start has stalled below the speed needed for the engine to run normally on its own.
Example Sentence 1
During the start sequence the RPM stalled at 40 percent and the EGT began climbing, so the pilot identified a hung start and moved the fuel control to cutoff.
Example Sentence 2
After a hung start the crew performed the shutdown checklist and inspected the engine before attempting another start.