False fire warning. Diversion to alternate.

Attributes
ACN	280028
Time
Date	199408
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roc airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sav
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	280028
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While baggage was being loaded 'cargo smoke' warning illuminated on cwp. Suspected exhaust fumes from belt loader were being blown into baggage compartment so had first officer investigate. No fire noted, but warning would not cancel. Maintenance could find no fault in smoke detector system and system reset after 15 mins. Approximately 15 mins after departure, 'cargo smoke' warning illuminated. Suspected malfunctioning system but had no way of determining this. Declared an emergency, diverted to buffalo and executed emergency evacuate/evacuation after clearing runway. Further inspection of cargo smoke detector #1 revealed several broken pins in the electrical connection. Apparently the smoke detector had been bashed several times by baggage handlers throwing bags carelessly into the compartment. In the future, I will inspect the smoke detectors much more carefully. Despite their being shielded by a metal cage, our careless baggage handlers still managed to destroy a $1400.00 component.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FALSE FIRE WARNING. DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: WHILE BAGGAGE WAS BEING LOADED 'CARGO SMOKE' WARNING ILLUMINATED ON CWP. SUSPECTED EXHAUST FUMES FROM BELT LOADER WERE BEING BLOWN INTO BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT SO HAD FO INVESTIGATE. NO FIRE NOTED, BUT WARNING WOULD NOT CANCEL. MAINT COULD FIND NO FAULT IN SMOKE DETECTOR SYS AND SYS RESET AFTER 15 MINS. APPROX 15 MINS AFTER DEP, 'CARGO SMOKE' WARNING ILLUMINATED. SUSPECTED MALFUNCTIONING SYS BUT HAD NO WAY OF DETERMINING THIS. DECLARED AN EMER, DIVERTED TO BUFFALO AND EXECUTED EMER EVAC AFTER CLRING RWY. FURTHER INSPECTION OF CARGO SMOKE DETECTOR #1 REVEALED SEVERAL BROKEN PINS IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION. APPARENTLY THE SMOKE DETECTOR HAD BEEN BASHED SEVERAL TIMES BY BAGGAGE HANDLERS THROWING BAGS CARELESSLY INTO THE COMPARTMENT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL INSPECT THE SMOKE DETECTORS MUCH MORE CAREFULLY. DESPITE THEIR BEING SHIELDED BY A METAL CAGE, OUR CARELESS BAGGAGE HANDLERS STILL MANAGED TO DESTROY A $1400.00 COMPONENT.

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.