Narrative:

As we turned the aircraft onto a 3 mi final in the descent for landing, the 'pod smoke' indication came on (an indication of possibly a fire in the baggage pod carried underneath the aircraft). In this particular fleet of aircraft, it was not an unfamiliar sight to have the pod smoke light illuminate while transmitting on comm #2. In this particular situation we were not transmitting on comm #2 or in precipitation of any sort, so I did advise tower of the indication and requested that they keep an eye out for any kind of smoke they may see. Tower asked if we would like fire/rescue standing by. I said 'no', but told them to just let them know our situation. Upon landing I notified the ground personnel to use caution while opening the pod door as we do have an indication of smoke. No further problems noted. I feel that these smoke detectors are inadequate and require a different type system with more reliability. When you fly an aircraft that gives false indications often, you tend not to take an indication of smoke as serious as it may be. One added note: prior to our T/D, tower advised us they received 'six' (6) phone calls from the news media. It made news within one hour, and was blown well out of proportion. Noting fire/rescue was scrambled to the scene, etc. Adding another pressure to not even report items of a smaller nature or something you may feel will not be important but may be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT WARNING OF SMOKE PRESENT IN ACFT BAGGAGE POD.

Narrative: AS WE TURNED THE ACFT ONTO A 3 MI FINAL IN THE DSCNT FOR LNDG, THE 'POD SMOKE' INDICATION CAME ON (AN INDICATION OF POSSIBLY A FIRE IN THE BAGGAGE POD CARRIED UNDERNEATH THE ACFT). IN THIS PARTICULAR FLEET OF ACFT, IT WAS NOT AN UNFAMILIAR SIGHT TO HAVE THE POD SMOKE LIGHT ILLUMINATE WHILE TRANSMITTING ON COMM #2. IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION WE WERE NOT TRANSMITTING ON COMM #2 OR IN PRECIPITATION OF ANY SORT, SO I DID ADVISE TWR OF THE INDICATION AND REQUESTED THAT THEY KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY KIND OF SMOKE THEY MAY SEE. TWR ASKED IF WE WOULD LIKE FIRE/RESCUE STANDING BY. I SAID 'NO', BUT TOLD THEM TO JUST LET THEM KNOW OUR SITUATION. UPON LNDG I NOTIFIED THE GND PERSONNEL TO USE CAUTION WHILE OPENING THE POD DOOR AS WE DO HAVE AN INDICATION OF SMOKE. NO FURTHER PROBS NOTED. I FEEL THAT THESE SMOKE DETECTORS ARE INADEQUATE AND REQUIRE A DIFFERENT TYPE SYS WITH MORE RELIABILITY. WHEN YOU FLY AN ACFT THAT GIVES FALSE INDICATIONS OFTEN, YOU TEND NOT TO TAKE AN INDICATION OF SMOKE AS SERIOUS AS IT MAY BE. ONE ADDED NOTE: PRIOR TO OUR T/D, TWR ADVISED US THEY RECEIVED 'SIX' (6) PHONE CALLS FROM THE NEWS MEDIA. IT MADE NEWS WITHIN ONE HR, AND WAS BLOWN WELL OUT OF PROPORTION. NOTING FIRE/RESCUE WAS SCRAMBLED TO THE SCENE, ETC. ADDING ANOTHER PRESSURE TO NOT EVEN RPT ITEMS OF A SMALLER NATURE OR SOMETHING YOU MAY FEEL WILL NOT BE IMPORTANT BUT MAY BE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.