While taxiing a BE1900, the left engine fire warning illuminated, engine shutdown was accomplished.

Attributes
ACN	488340
Time
Date	200010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	488340
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eng. fire warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff at dca we were told to hold short of runway 1/19. While holding short we observed the left t-handle illuminate indicating an engine fire. We shut the engines down and declared an emergency, requesting that the trucks be rolled to assist us. In my haste to get the message to ground control, I used the wrong number in our call sign. The ground controller became confused and sent the trucks towards the wrong airplane. It turned out to be a false alarm, but had it not been, the situation might have been critical with the increased response time due to the confusion. The ground control frequency was extremely congested. This, with the ground controller's failure to make sure he had all pertinent information, contributed to the confusion. My first officer and I had been working for about 8 1/2 hours without a significant break and were both feeling fatigued at the time of the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TAXIING A BE1900, THE L ENG FIRE WARNING ILLUMINATED, ENG SHUTDOWN WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF AT DCA WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 1/19. WHILE HOLDING SHORT WE OBSERVED THE L T-HANDLE ILLUMINATE INDICATING AN ENG FIRE. WE SHUT THE ENGS DOWN AND DECLARED AN EMER, REQUESTING THAT THE TRUCKS BE ROLLED TO ASSIST US. IN MY HASTE TO GET THE MESSAGE TO GND CTL, I USED THE WRONG NUMBER IN OUR CALL SIGN. THE GND CTLR BECAME CONFUSED AND SENT THE TRUCKS TOWARDS THE WRONG AIRPLANE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FALSE ALARM, BUT HAD IT NOT BEEN, THE SIT MIGHT HAVE BEEN CRITICAL WITH THE INCREASED RESPONSE TIME DUE TO THE CONFUSION. THE GND CTL FREQ WAS EXTREMELY CONGESTED. THIS, WITH THE GND CTLR'S FAILURE TO MAKE SURE HE HAD ALL PERTINENT INFO, CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFUSION. MY FO AND I HAD BEEN WORKING FOR ABOUT 8 1/2 HRS WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT BREAK AND WERE BOTH FEELING FATIGUED AT THE TIME OF THE 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.