MD11 crew had fire warning on #3 engine. They were unable to discharge the fire agent.

Attributes
ACN	488584
Time
Date	200010
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rjnn.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	488584
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : testing
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 10 mins from landing, the fire warning bell sounded and fire warning lights on #3 engine illuminated. The engine fire checklist was accomplished but warning did not extinguish. The relief pilot visually inspected engine from the cabin and reported no evidence of smoke or fire. An emergency was declared and fire equipment requested for landing. After landing we confirmed on ground control frequency that no evidence of fire existed. Fire equipment accompanied us during taxi and were released after arrival at gate. Subsequent investigation by maintenance on why the fire bottles did not discharge found that they were operating normally. Maintenance felt that not enough force was used to pull and rotate the fire handle. 2 factors may have contributed to this: 1) it happened at the conclusion of a 10 hour flight. 2) we were in a very busy phase of flight in addition to accomplishing the abnormal procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW HAD FIRE WARNING ON #3 ENG. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DISCHARGE THE FIRE AGENT.

Narrative: APPROX 10 MINS FROM LNDG, THE FIRE WARNING BELL SOUNDED AND FIRE WARNING LIGHTS ON #3 ENG ILLUMINATED. THE ENG FIRE CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED BUT WARNING DID NOT EXTINGUISH. THE RELIEF PLT VISUALLY INSPECTED ENG FROM THE CABIN AND RPTED NO EVIDENCE OF SMOKE OR FIRE. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND FIRE EQUIP REQUESTED FOR LNDG. AFTER LNDG WE CONFIRMED ON GND CTL FREQ THAT NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE EXISTED. FIRE EQUIP ACCOMPANIED US DURING TAXI AND WERE RELEASED AFTER ARR AT GATE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY MAINT ON WHY THE FIRE BOTTLES DID NOT DISCHARGE FOUND THAT THEY WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. MAINT FELT THAT NOT ENOUGH FORCE WAS USED TO PULL AND ROTATE THE FIRE HANDLE. 2 FACTORS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS: 1) IT HAPPENED AT THE CONCLUSION OF A 10 HR FLT. 2) WE WERE IN A VERY BUSY PHASE OF FLT IN ADDITION TO ACCOMPLISHING THE ABNORMAL PROC.

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.