Flight crew experienced false engine fire warning.

Attributes
ACN	282812
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cpt airport : fact
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cpt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	282812
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 17500 flight time type : 165
ASRS Report	282824
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff from fact en route to gvac we had a fire warning indication on #1 engine. The aircraft had been dispatched with the 'B' fire loop inoperative on that engine. As we were running the procedures for the problem, I requested a level off and informed ATC, and requested vectors for a possible return. As we were leveling off the fire indications went away. All engine parameters were normal at all times, and the system subsequently tested good. I elected to continue climb to FL350, and no further problems were encountered. Approximately 3 hours out of gvac we climbed to FL390, and shortly thereafter we again had a fire warning. Again all engine parameters were normal. I returned to FL350. The warning remained on steady except for a fire light in the fuel switch which blinked continuously until shortly before descent. Upon starting our descent all fire warnings went out. Upon taxi in I shut down the engine. Maintenance switched the wiring harnesses from the known bad loop 'B' to the 'a' loop for that engine. We continued on our flight to kiad without any further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC EXPERIENCED FALSE ENG FIRE WARNING.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM FACT ENRTE TO GVAC WE HAD A FIRE WARNING INDICATION ON #1 ENG. THE ACFT HAD BEEN DISPATCHED WITH THE 'B' FIRE LOOP INOP ON THAT ENG. AS WE WERE RUNNING THE PROCS FOR THE PROB, I REQUESTED A LEVEL OFF AND INFORMED ATC, AND REQUESTED VECTORS FOR A POSSIBLE RETURN. AS WE WERE LEVELING OFF THE FIRE INDICATIONS WENT AWAY. ALL ENG PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL AT ALL TIMES, AND THE SYS SUBSEQUENTLY TESTED GOOD. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE CLB TO FL350, AND NO FURTHER PROBS WERE ENCOUNTERED. APPROX 3 HRS OUT OF GVAC WE CLBED TO FL390, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE AGAIN HAD A FIRE WARNING. AGAIN ALL ENG PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL. I RETURNED TO FL350. THE WARNING REMAINED ON STEADY EXCEPT FOR A FIRE LIGHT IN THE FUEL SWITCH WHICH BLINKED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE DSCNT. UPON STARTING OUR DSCNT ALL FIRE WARNINGS WENT OUT. UPON TAXI IN I SHUT DOWN THE ENG. MAINT SWITCHED THE WIRING HARNESSES FROM THE KNOWN BAD LOOP 'B' TO THE 'A' LOOP FOR THAT ENG. WE CONTINUED ON OUR FLT TO KIAD WITHOUT ANY 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.