Scheduled freighter experiences an engine fire warning. In-flight engine shutdown accomplished.

Attributes
ACN	270413
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	270413
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	270626
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After about a one hour delay on ground due to traffic flow for thunderstorms, departed dfw. On vector south for WX avoidance, passing about 12000 ft MSL, #3 engine fire warning activated. I was flying and the captain and flight engineer shutdown engine in accordance with procedures, including using both fire extinguishing bottles available to right wing. Captain elected to divert to houston intercontinental (iah) for landing rather than fly back through thunderstorm area in vicinity of dfw. Fire light extinguished about 10 min after engine shutdown. Captain assumed control of aircraft and made uneventful 3 engine landing at iah. Ground inspection of engine by maintenance personnel did not determine cause of fire light before we departed iah in a different aircraft, and I have not received word yet as to cause of fire light. Supplemental information from acn 270626: somewhere prior to 15000 ft, the fire warning bell sounded, master fire warning came on and the light in the fire shutoff handle lit for the #3 engine. I silenced the bell. We brought the #3 engine throttle back to idle and paused for about 30 seconds to see if we had a bleed air leak. The light stayed on so we secured #3 engine in accordance with the engine securing checklist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCHEDULED FREIGHTER EXPERIENCES AN ENG FIRE WARNING. INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: AFTER ABOUT A ONE HR DELAY ON GND DUE TO TFC FLOW FOR TSTMS, DEPARTED DFW. ON VECTOR S FOR WX AVOIDANCE, PASSING ABOUT 12000 FT MSL, #3 ENG FIRE WARNING ACTIVATED. I WAS FLYING AND THE CAPT AND FE SHUTDOWN ENG IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROCS, INCLUDING USING BOTH FIRE EXTINGUISHING BOTTLES AVAILABLE TO R WING. CAPT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL (IAH) FOR LNDG RATHER THAN FLY BACK THROUGH TSTM AREA IN VICINITY OF DFW. FIRE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED ABOUT 10 MIN AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN. CAPT ASSUMED CTL OF ACFT AND MADE UNEVENTFUL 3 ENG LNDG AT IAH. GND INSPECTION OF ENG BY MAINT PERSONNEL DID NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF FIRE LIGHT BEFORE WE DEPARTED IAH IN A DIFFERENT ACFT, AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED WORD YET AS TO CAUSE OF FIRE LIGHT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 270626: SOMEWHERE PRIOR TO 15000 FT, THE FIRE WARNING BELL SOUNDED, MASTER FIRE WARNING CAME ON AND THE LIGHT IN THE FIRE SHUTOFF HANDLE LIT FOR THE #3 ENG. I SILENCED THE BELL. WE BROUGHT THE #3 ENG THROTTLE BACK TO IDLE AND PAUSED FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO SEE IF WE HAD A BLEED AIR LEAK. THE LIGHT STAYED ON SO WE SECURED #3 ENG IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENG SECURING CHKLIST.

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.