Requested priority handling into phl because of a false warning of an APU fire.

Attributes
ACN	233836
Time
Date	199302
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie airport : phl
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl tower : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	233836
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

#2 multi-function display showed APU fire checklist without any aural fire warning. Improper fire/response checklist appeared below. After exhausting all available resources to determine validity of fire alert, APU fire bottle was discharged and priority handling requested. This was done as a precaution only. No fire existed, as confirmed by phl fire department. No technical procedure was applicable, and improvisation was required. Glass cockpit had never displayed such conflicting information before, and process of elimination, as well as other methods were used, as well as conservative judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING INTO PHL BECAUSE OF A FALSE WARNING OF AN APU FIRE.

Narrative: #2 MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAY SHOWED APU FIRE CHKLIST WITHOUT ANY AURAL FIRE WARNING. IMPROPER FIRE/RESPONSE CHKLIST APPEARED BELOW. AFTER EXHAUSTING ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO DETERMINE VALIDITY OF FIRE ALERT, APU FIRE BOTTLE WAS DISCHARGED AND PRIORITY HANDLING REQUESTED. THIS WAS DONE AS A PRECAUTION ONLY. NO FIRE EXISTED, AS CONFIRMED BY PHL FIRE DEPT. NO TECHNICAL PROC WAS APPLICABLE, AND IMPROVISATION WAS REQUIRED. GLASS COCKPIT HAD NEVER DISPLAYED SUCH CONFLICTING INFO BEFORE, AND PROCESS OF ELIMINATION, AS WELL AS OTHER METHODS WERE USED, AS WELL AS CONSERVATIVE JUDGEMENT.

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.