Light transport had an APU fire while parked on the ramp.

Attributes
ACN	147452
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 290 flight time total : 6100
ASRS Report	147452
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I attempted to start the APU on aircraft. After 3 unsuccessful attempts a mechanic boarded the aircraft and announced the APU was on fire. I immediately depowered the aircraft and exited. There was no indication of an APU fire in the cockpit. The APU was placarded as inoperative. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: asked reporter if there was an APU fire procedure to be followed. He said there was, but he never used it because he never got an APU fire warning. He said the APU was damaged but there was no airframe damage. He said that, after deplaning, the mechanic reboarded the aircraft, powered it up and discharged the fire bottle into the APU. This reduced but did not extinguish the fire. Other ground personnel used a ramp fire extinguisher to finally extinguish the fire. There was comment that the fire extinguishing agent did more damage than the fire.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT HAD AN APU FIRE WHILE PARKED ON THE RAMP.

Narrative: I ATTEMPTED TO START THE APU ON ACFT. AFTER 3 UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS A MECH BOARDED THE ACFT AND ANNOUNCED THE APU WAS ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY DEPOWERED THE ACFT AND EXITED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN APU FIRE IN THE COCKPIT. THE APU WAS PLACARDED AS INOP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ASKED RPTR IF THERE WAS AN APU FIRE PROC TO BE FOLLOWED. HE SAID THERE WAS, BUT HE NEVER USED IT BECAUSE HE NEVER GOT AN APU FIRE WARNING. HE SAID THE APU WAS DAMAGED BUT THERE WAS NO AIRFRAME DAMAGE. HE SAID THAT, AFTER DEPLANING, THE MECH REBOARDED THE ACFT, POWERED IT UP AND DISCHARGED THE FIRE BOTTLE INTO THE APU. THIS REDUCED BUT DID NOT EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. OTHER GND PERSONNEL USED A RAMP FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO FINALLY EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WAS COMMENT THAT THE FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENT DID MORE DAMAGE THAN THE FIRE.

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.