Narrative:

I believe we were at 4000' just past the sausalito VOR where I noticed the forward baggage smoke detector light on. Then it went out, then came back on again, at which time we did our phase I checklist (fire extinguisher was discharged into the hole for the forward baggage area). At that time the light went out and stayed out. This whole process took 20 seconds. During the same time my first officer was doing the above, I had declared an emergency with bay. Told him I needed to descend direct to the airport, 'now!', and I wanted 28L at sfo, short approach with a taxiway delta rollout. He confirmed I wanted to declare an emergency. I agreed (we were about 13 mi to the north of sfo at this time). He (bay) gave me a heading and an altitude of 4000'. In the process of briefing the flight attendant, passenger and company, and telling bay that we wanted the fire trucks and all that, I went through 4000' and found myself at 3200', descending! I told bay that we needed to 'keep it coming down' (he was busy talking on the radio so I couldn't ask for lower, so I kept it coming down!). Bay asked if I had an air carrier large transport departing off the 1L off of sfo. I told him we did. Then he cleared us for the visibility for 28L (at about 3000') and to go to tower. Tower cleared us to land 28L. I told them that we would like for the fire trucks to follow us to the gate instead of off-loading the passenger on or off the runway, since the cwp light had gone out. They agreed. We taxied to the gate and off loaded the passenger. Everybody was totally cool, no panic. My first officer stayed cool and flight attendant did a great job also staying cool!! Bay had also asked how many souls were on board and fuel remaining (22 souls and 1100 pounds of fuel).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST OCCURS AS FLT CREW IS INVOLVED IN EMERGENCY DUE TO A FORWARD CARGO FIRE WARNING.

Narrative: I BELIEVE WE WERE AT 4000' JUST PAST THE SAUSALITO VOR WHERE I NOTICED THE FORWARD BAGGAGE SMOKE DETECTOR LIGHT ON. THEN IT WENT OUT, THEN CAME BACK ON AGAIN, AT WHICH TIME WE DID OUR PHASE I CHKLIST (FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS DISCHARGED INTO THE HOLE FOR THE FORWARD BAGGAGE AREA). AT THAT TIME THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND STAYED OUT. THIS WHOLE PROCESS TOOK 20 SECS. DURING THE SAME TIME MY FO WAS DOING THE ABOVE, I HAD DECLARED AN EMER WITH BAY. TOLD HIM I NEEDED TO DSND DIRECT TO THE ARPT, 'NOW!', AND I WANTED 28L AT SFO, SHORT APCH WITH A TXWY DELTA ROLLOUT. HE CONFIRMED I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. I AGREED (WE WERE ABOUT 13 MI TO THE N OF SFO AT THIS TIME). HE (BAY) GAVE ME A HDG AND AN ALT OF 4000'. IN THE PROCESS OF BRIEFING THE FLT ATTENDANT, PAX AND COMPANY, AND TELLING BAY THAT WE WANTED THE FIRE TRUCKS AND ALL THAT, I WENT THROUGH 4000' AND FOUND MYSELF AT 3200', DSNDING! I TOLD BAY THAT WE NEEDED TO 'KEEP IT COMING DOWN' (HE WAS BUSY TALKING ON THE RADIO SO I COULDN'T ASK FOR LOWER, SO I KEPT IT COMING DOWN!). BAY ASKED IF I HAD AN ACR LGT DEPARTING OFF THE 1L OFF OF SFO. I TOLD HIM WE DID. THEN HE CLRED US FOR THE VIS FOR 28L (AT ABOUT 3000') AND TO GO TO TWR. TWR CLRED US TO LAND 28L. I TOLD THEM THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS TO FOLLOW US TO THE GATE INSTEAD OF OFF-LOADING THE PAX ON OR OFF THE RWY, SINCE THE CWP LIGHT HAD GONE OUT. THEY AGREED. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE AND OFF LOADED THE PAX. EVERYBODY WAS TOTALLY COOL, NO PANIC. MY F/O STAYED COOL AND FLT ATTENDANT DID A GREAT JOB ALSO STAYING COOL!! BAY HAD ALSO ASKED HOW MANY SOULS WERE ON BOARD AND FUEL REMAINING (22 SOULS AND 1100 LBS OF FUEL).

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.