Flight crew of large transport has cargo compartment smoke warning indication, momentary at first, t...

Attributes
ACN	411516
Time
Date	199808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 217 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 681
ASRS Report	411516
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 other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed ord at XA41 CDT for mex onboard an airbus 320. I was the captain and PF. While climbing through FL310 for FL350, about 250 NM south of ord, a momentary forward cargo compartment smoke warning appeared on the upper ECAM, accompanied by 4 or 5 bell ringings. A few mins later, similar, momentary warnings began to appear every 30/45 seconds. I fire tested the system and the test was normal, as was the preflight test. After the first couple of warnings, we contacted our maintenance center for guidance via ACARS. After several more momentary warnings, we got a continuous visual warning but no aural warning. We performed the ECAM procedure by discharging agent bottle #1. We then declared an emergency with ATC and requested an immediate course reversal to ord and to descend to FL290 to maximum TAS/GS. We advised our dispatcher and had the chief purser prepare the cabin for a possible evacuate/evacuation upon landing. I again tested the system, but the test did not illuminate the forward cargo smoke light, nor did we get an aural warning. The first officer and I discussed the possibility of making an immediate landing, but we concurred that the way the problem developed and presented itself, we were quite confident that we were dealing with an indication/sensor problem. After completing all appropriate checklists, I made a smooth, overweight (150800 pounds), landing at ord at XA54 CDT. Prior to stopping the aircraft, the first officer made a PA announcement to the passenger to remain seated with their seat belts fastened while the aircraft was inspected by maintenance and crash/rescue personnel. They were in position to meet the aircraft when we stopped. I cautioned them, through a dedicated tower frequency, about the possibility of hot brakes, and advised them that we had discharged a bottle of agent into the forward pit. Following their inspection, they reported that no evidence of smoke or fire was observed. At that point, I terminated the emergency with the tower controller and we taxied to parking. Every component of the emergency assistance/response system worked to perfection. The system works.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LGT HAS CARGO COMPARTMENT SMOKE WARNING INDICATION, MOMENTARY AT FIRST, THEN CONTINUOUS. AFTER DISCHARGING THE BOTTLE THEY DECLARE AN EMER AND RETURN TO LAND.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ORD AT XA41 CDT FOR MEX ONBOARD AN AIRBUS 320. I WAS THE CAPT AND PF. WHILE CLBING THROUGH FL310 FOR FL350, ABOUT 250 NM S OF ORD, A MOMENTARY FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT SMOKE WARNING APPEARED ON THE UPPER ECAM, ACCOMPANIED BY 4 OR 5 BELL RINGINGS. A FEW MINS LATER, SIMILAR, MOMENTARY WARNINGS BEGAN TO APPEAR EVERY 30/45 SECONDS. I FIRE TESTED THE SYS AND THE TEST WAS NORMAL, AS WAS THE PREFLT TEST. AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE OF WARNINGS, WE CONTACTED OUR MAINT CTR FOR GUIDANCE VIA ACARS. AFTER SEVERAL MORE MOMENTARY WARNINGS, WE GOT A CONTINUOUS VISUAL WARNING BUT NO AURAL WARNING. WE PERFORMED THE ECAM PROC BY DISCHARGING AGENT BOTTLE #1. WE THEN DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE COURSE REVERSAL TO ORD AND TO DSND TO FL290 TO MAX TAS/GS. WE ADVISED OUR DISPATCHER AND HAD THE CHIEF PURSER PREPARE THE CABIN FOR A POSSIBLE EVAC UPON LNDG. I AGAIN TESTED THE SYS, BUT THE TEST DID NOT ILLUMINATE THE FORWARD CARGO SMOKE LIGHT, NOR DID WE GET AN AURAL WARNING. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING AN IMMEDIATE LNDG, BUT WE CONCURRED THAT THE WAY THE PROB DEVELOPED AND PRESENTED ITSELF, WE WERE QUITE CONFIDENT THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH AN INDICATION/SENSOR PROB. AFTER COMPLETING ALL APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS, I MADE A SMOOTH, OVERWT (150800 LBS), LNDG AT ORD AT XA54 CDT. PRIOR TO STOPPING THE ACFT, THE FO MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX TO REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED WHILE THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED BY MAINT AND CRASH/RESCUE PERSONNEL. THEY WERE IN POS TO MEET THE ACFT WHEN WE STOPPED. I CAUTIONED THEM, THROUGH A DEDICATED TWR FREQ, ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HOT BRAKES, AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE HAD DISCHARGED A BOTTLE OF AGENT INTO THE FORWARD PIT. FOLLOWING THEIR INSPECTION, THEY RPTED THAT NO EVIDENCE OF SMOKE OR FIRE WAS OBSERVED. AT THAT POINT, I TERMINATED THE EMER WITH THE TWR CTLR AND WE TAXIED TO PARKING. EVERY COMPONENT OF THE EMER ASSISTANCE/RESPONSE SYS WORKED TO PERFECTION. THE SYS WORKS.

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.

Flight crew of large transport has cargo compartment smoke warning indication, momentary at first, then continuous. After discharging the bottle they declare an emergency and return to land.