A DC9-41 on short final approach at 2100 ft declared am emergency due to a flickering cabin cargo sm...

Attributes
ACN	409286
Time
Date	199807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 30 40
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	409286
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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 other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On short final cargo smoke light flickered on and off, came on momentarily, then off. Continued approach and landed. After exiting the runway and coming to a stop, I got up and opened the cockpit door and saw smoke, called for emergency equipment for assistance. Fire department arrived and opened aircraft doors and saw the smoke/mist. As it quickly dissipated, fire department checked aircraft for further smoke and found no fire, smoke or hazmat spilled. Cargo was unloaded and further checked for hazmat spills, and none found. Maintenance inspection of the aircraft found the #5 smoke detector had a loose connection, and was replaced. Also the air conditioning coalescer filter bag was changed, as this was thought to have caused the air conditioning system to make a fog/mist due to the high humidity and outside air temperature. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a DC9-41 and the smoke detector was located in the #5 position in the cabin. The reporter said the detector had a loose wiring connection and was repaired by maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-41 ON SHORT FINAL APCH AT 2100 FT DECLARED AM EMER DUE TO A FLICKERING CABIN CARGO SMOKE DETECTOR LIGHT CAUSED BY A LOOSE WIRING CONNECTION ON THE #5 CABIN SMOKE DETECTOR.

Narrative: ON SHORT FINAL CARGO SMOKE LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF, CAME ON MOMENTARILY, THEN OFF. CONTINUED APCH AND LANDED. AFTER EXITING THE RWY AND COMING TO A STOP, I GOT UP AND OPENED THE COCKPIT DOOR AND SAW SMOKE, CALLED FOR EMER EQUIP FOR ASSISTANCE. FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND OPENED ACFT DOORS AND SAW THE SMOKE/MIST. AS IT QUICKLY DISSIPATED, FIRE DEPT CHKED ACFT FOR FURTHER SMOKE AND FOUND NO FIRE, SMOKE OR HAZMAT SPILLED. CARGO WAS UNLOADED AND FURTHER CHKED FOR HAZMAT SPILLS, AND NONE FOUND. MAINT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT FOUND THE #5 SMOKE DETECTOR HAD A LOOSE CONNECTION, AND WAS REPLACED. ALSO THE AIR CONDITIONING COALESCER FILTER BAG WAS CHANGED, AS THIS WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE CAUSED THE AIR CONDITIONING SYS TO MAKE A FOG/MIST DUE TO THE HIGH HUMIDITY AND OUTSIDE AIR TEMP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A DC9-41 AND THE SMOKE DETECTOR WAS LOCATED IN THE #5 POS IN THE CABIN. THE RPTR SAID THE DETECTOR HAD A LOOSE WIRING CONNECTION AND WAS REPAIRED BY MAINT.

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.

A DC9-41 on short final approach at 2100 ft declared am emergency due to a flickering cabin cargo smoke detector light caused by a loose wiring connection on the #5 cabin smoke detector.