Widebody transport returns to paris but does not shut down engine that produced a fire warning.

Attributes
ACN	240927
Time
Date	199305
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lgl
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : lfff
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	240927
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Early in climb, 'a' loop of #2 engine fire warning faulted and was disengaged. A few mins later with only 'B' loop active, fire warning sounded. Electronic (ECAM) checklist illuminated for fire drill. Upon retarding throttle, all warnings and instructions ceased. Compared all engine parameters and viewed engine from cabin -- all normal. Conferred with crew. Decided safest course of action was to leave engine running at idle due to anticipated over maximum landing gross weight landing. Aircraft maximum takeoff gross weight 313100 pounds. Landing performed at 301000 pounds. Normal maximum landing gross weight 267900 pounds. Critical factor in this event was leaving engine running despite initial fire warning and usual philosophy is to perform complete shutdown. Believe safer to leave running rather than reducing to a 1 engine operation where aircraft would be extremely performance limited in the event of a go around. Key to judgement to leave engine running at idle: nacelle temperature was indicating normal throughout.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB RETURNS TO PARIS BUT DOES NOT SHUT DOWN ENG THAT PRODUCED A FIRE WARNING.

Narrative: EARLY IN CLB, 'A' LOOP OF #2 ENG FIRE WARNING FAULTED AND WAS DISENGAGED. A FEW MINS LATER WITH ONLY 'B' LOOP ACTIVE, FIRE WARNING SOUNDED. ELECTRONIC (ECAM) CHKLIST ILLUMINATED FOR FIRE DRILL. UPON RETARDING THROTTLE, ALL WARNINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS CEASED. COMPARED ALL ENG PARAMETERS AND VIEWED ENG FROM CABIN -- ALL NORMAL. CONFERRED WITH CREW. DECIDED SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO LEAVE ENG RUNNING AT IDLE DUE TO ANTICIPATED OVER MAX LNDG GROSS WT LNDG. ACFT MAX TKOF GROSS WT 313100 LBS. LNDG PERFORMED AT 301000 LBS. NORMAL MAX LNDG GROSS WT 267900 LBS. CRITICAL FACTOR IN THIS EVENT WAS LEAVING ENG RUNNING DESPITE INITIAL FIRE WARNING AND USUAL PHILOSOPHY IS TO PERFORM COMPLETE SHUTDOWN. BELIEVE SAFER TO LEAVE RUNNING RATHER THAN REDUCING TO A 1 ENG OP WHERE ACFT WOULD BE EXTREMELY PERFORMANCE LIMITED IN THE EVENT OF A GAR. KEY TO JUDGEMENT TO LEAVE ENG RUNNING AT IDLE: NACELLE TEMP WAS INDICATING NORMAL THROUGHOUT.

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.