APU fire warning on air carrier medium large transport mandates a return land after emergency declar...

Attributes
ACN	228026
Time
Date	199212
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude landing other 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 : 234 flight time total : 11000
ASRS Report	228026
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Prior to takeoff our APU was shutdown. After takeoff and climbing to 10000 ft the APU fire detect inoperative light illuminated. This occurred about 8000 ft. About 30 seconds later the APU fire light illuminated with aural warning. The APU fire checklist was accomplished. ATC was next informed that we wanted to return to newark and declared an emergency. We were about 40 mi north of the newark airport. ATC gave us a left turn back toward the airport and also gave us descent instructions. We did not deviation from any ATC instructions. In the cockpit I explained to our #1 flight attendant what our problem was, asked her to check for any indications of fire in the cabin and to prepare the cabin for an emergency landing. I myself gave a short briefing to the passenger via the PA system. We accomplished the necessary checklists prior to landing VFR at ewr. Other than the fire light and intermittent alarm no other actual fire indications were observed. After landing I exited a high speed taxiway where emergency units were parked. The aircraft engines were shut down and no indications of fire was observed from any emergency unit or the tower facility. We were towed to a parking gate without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APU FIRE WARNING ON ACR MLG MANDATES A RETURN LAND AFTER EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TKOF OUR APU WAS SHUTDOWN. AFTER TKOF AND CLBING TO 10000 FT THE APU FIRE DETECT INOP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 8000 FT. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER THE APU FIRE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH AURAL WARNING. THE APU FIRE CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED. ATC WAS NEXT INFORMED THAT WE WANTED TO RETURN TO NEWARK AND DECLARED AN EMER. WE WERE ABOUT 40 MI N OF THE NEWARK ARPT. ATC GAVE US A L TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT AND ALSO GAVE US DSCNT INSTRUCTIONS. WE DID NOT DEV FROM ANY ATC INSTRUCTIONS. IN THE COCKPIT I EXPLAINED TO OUR #1 FLT ATTENDANT WHAT OUR PROBLEM WAS, ASKED HER TO CHK FOR ANY INDICATIONS OF FIRE IN THE CABIN AND TO PREPARE THE CABIN FOR AN EMER LNDG. I MYSELF GAVE A SHORT BRIEFING TO THE PAX VIA THE PA SYS. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE NECESSARY CHKLISTS PRIOR TO LNDG VFR AT EWR. OTHER THAN THE FIRE LIGHT AND INTERMITTENT ALARM NO OTHER ACTUAL FIRE INDICATIONS WERE OBSERVED. AFTER LNDG I EXITED A HIGH SPD TAXIWAY WHERE EMER UNITS WERE PARKED. THE ACFT ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN AND NO INDICATIONS OF FIRE WAS OBSERVED FROM ANY EMER UNIT OR THE TWR FACILITY. WE WERE TOWED TO A PARKING GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.

APU fire warning on air carrier medium large transport mandates a return land after emergency declared.