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During pushback and engine start aircraft APU fire warning activated. Passenger evacuation. No reported injuries.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 114636 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198906 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fll |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : stl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | ground : holding other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 180 |
| ASRS Report | 114636 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 114338 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
The aircraft was pushed back to a position on the ramp for engine start. The APU had been operating normally since it had been started approximately 45 min prior to the incident. The #2 engine was started first using APU bleed air and the APU was also supplying ship's power. During the start of the #1 engine, the APU fire warning activated and the fire bell sounded. The APU fire checklist was accomplished and the fire bottle was activated. The APU fire warning remained illuminated. At that point both engines were shut down in preparation for an emergency evacuate/evacuation. The evacuate/evacuation was then commanded and the evacuate/evacuation checklist was accomplished. The fire equipment arrived during the evacuate/evacuation and due to the excitement of the drivers, narrowly missed the people who by this time were on the ramp. No one was hit or hurt however. In conclusion, the fire warning was false but occurred at a point in the flight where it was most likely, a hot day under load during engine start. Given the extreme seriousness of fire and no time for a lengthy verification of the warning, the evacuate/evacuation was necessary. If any other information is needed, please call my home using the number listed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DURING PUSHBACK AND ENGINE START ACFT APU FIRE WARNING ACTIVATED. PASSENGER EVACUATION. NO REPORTED INJURIES.
Narrative: THE ACFT WAS PUSHED BACK TO A POSITION ON THE RAMP FOR ENGINE START. THE APU HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY SINCE IT HAD BEEN STARTED APPROX 45 MIN PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE #2 ENGINE WAS STARTED FIRST USING APU BLEED AIR AND THE APU WAS ALSO SUPPLYING SHIP'S POWER. DURING THE START OF THE #1 ENGINE, THE APU FIRE WARNING ACTIVATED AND THE FIRE BELL SOUNDED. THE APU FIRE CHECKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE FIRE BOTTLE WAS ACTIVATED. THE APU FIRE WARNING REMAINED ILLUMINATED. AT THAT POINT BOTH ENGINES WERE SHUT DOWN IN PREPARATION FOR AN EMER EVAC. THE EVAC WAS THEN COMMANDED AND THE EVAC CHECKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE FIRE EQUIPMENT ARRIVED DURING THE EVAC AND DUE TO THE EXCITEMENT OF THE DRIVERS, NARROWLY MISSED THE PEOPLE WHO BY THIS TIME WERE ON THE RAMP. NO ONE WAS HIT OR HURT HOWEVER. IN CONCLUSION, THE FIRE WARNING WAS FALSE BUT OCCURRED AT A POINT IN THE FLT WHERE IT WAS MOST LIKELY, A HOT DAY UNDER LOAD DURING ENGINE START. GIVEN THE EXTREME SERIOUSNESS OF FIRE AND NO TIME FOR A LENGTHY VERIFICATION OF THE WARNING, THE EVAC WAS NECESSARY. IF ANY OTHER INFO IS NEEDED, PLEASE CALL MY HOME USING THE NUMBER LISTED.
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.