A boeing 727 flight crew received a fire warning for engine #1 and diverted to ama.

Attributes
ACN	443122
Time
Date	199907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ama.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tower : myf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	443122
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fire warning other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to alternate
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In level cruise about 50 mi west of amarillo, we got a fire warning on #1 engine. Engine fire checklist was accomplished and warning went out as soon as fire handle was pulled. We decided we had a bleed air leak (or faulty warning). Since we were en route to atl we felt it was better to land in ama (long distance at low altitude and poor WX in atl). Ama WX was cavok. During the execution of the several checklists, there was a momentary binding of the flight controls. It happened about the time the hydraulic pump was shut off. We decided to get on the ground as soon as possible. Since the workload was high, we didn't take much time to troubleshoot. The remainder of the approach was without incident. Postflt inspection revealed a bleed air leak in #1 engine and no problem with the flight controls. Although none of the crew recalls putting the autoplt on (it was turned off for initial descent) we theorized that it was turned on at some point causing the apparent binding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BOEING 727 FLC RECEIVED A FIRE WARNING FOR ENG #1 AND DIVERTED TO AMA.

Narrative: IN LEVEL CRUISE ABOUT 50 MI W OF AMARILLO, WE GOT A FIRE WARNING ON #1 ENG. ENG FIRE CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WARNING WENT OUT AS SOON AS FIRE HANDLE WAS PULLED. WE DECIDED WE HAD A BLEED AIR LEAK (OR FAULTY WARNING). SINCE WE WERE ENRTE TO ATL WE FELT IT WAS BETTER TO LAND IN AMA (LONG DISTANCE AT LOW ALT AND POOR WX IN ATL). AMA WX WAS CAVOK. DURING THE EXECUTION OF THE SEVERAL CHKLISTS, THERE WAS A MOMENTARY BINDING OF THE FLT CTLS. IT HAPPENED ABOUT THE TIME THE HYD PUMP WAS SHUT OFF. WE DECIDED TO GET ON THE GND ASAP. SINCE THE WORKLOAD WAS HIGH, WE DIDN'T TAKE MUCH TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED A BLEED AIR LEAK IN #1 ENG AND NO PROB WITH THE FLT CTLS. ALTHOUGH NONE OF THE CREW RECALLS PUTTING THE AUTOPLT ON (IT WAS TURNED OFF FOR INITIAL DSCNT) WE THEORIZED THAT IT WAS TURNED ON AT SOME POINT CAUSING THE APPARENT BINDING.

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.