Air carrier widebody transport APU fire warning on APU startup while taxi to gate.

Attributes
ACN	103425
Time
Date	198902
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bgr
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	103425
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	103424
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After landing at bangor, me, for a fuel stop (lgw dir bos), the second officer observed a fire warning light on APU on initial start up (slight egt rise). He discontinued the start and light went out. We did not fire the extinguishing bottle because we believed we did not have a real fire. Maintenance control placarded the APU inoperative. Supplemental information from acn 103424: I confirmed the fire indication, continued to taxi toward the ramp, told the other 2 crew members to take care of the emergency, and I notified ground control of the problem. During the shutdown portion of the emergency procedure the fire light went out. I told ground control no fire trucks were necessary. No fire extinguisher bottle was discharged. We did test the fire warning system as soon as the fire light went out, however that was probably not enough insurance. I was new on the aircraft and not really in command.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB APU FIRE WARNING ON APU STARTUP WHILE TAXI TO GATE.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT BANGOR, ME, FOR A FUEL STOP (LGW DIR BOS), THE S/O OBSERVED A FIRE WARNING LIGHT ON APU ON INITIAL START UP (SLIGHT EGT RISE). HE DISCONTINUED THE START AND LIGHT WENT OUT. WE DID NOT FIRE THE EXTINGUISHING BOTTLE BECAUSE WE BELIEVED WE DID NOT HAVE A REAL FIRE. MAINT CTL PLACARDED THE APU INOP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 103424: I CONFIRMED THE FIRE INDICATION, CONTINUED TO TAXI TOWARD THE RAMP, TOLD THE OTHER 2 CREW MEMBERS TO TAKE CARE OF THE EMER, AND I NOTIFIED GND CTL OF THE PROB. DURING THE SHUTDOWN PORTION OF THE EMER PROC THE FIRE LIGHT WENT OUT. I TOLD GND CTL NO FIRE TRUCKS WERE NECESSARY. NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER BOTTLE WAS DISCHARGED. WE DID TEST THE FIRE WARNING SYS AS SOON AS THE FIRE LIGHT WENT OUT, HOWEVER THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH INSURANCE. I WAS NEW ON THE ACFT AND NOT REALLY IN COMMAND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.