Narrative:

While attempting an APU start to power up the aircraft for its first flight of the day the first officer noted the APU hung start at 24% RPM. After aborting the start the APU fire indication illuminated on the EICAS. The first officer then completed the APU fire epc. As I entered the aircraft from the jetbridge I noted black smoke coming from the APU compartment. I then entered the cockpit and observed the first officer complete the APU fire epc. Pit fire/rescue was called as a precautionary measure and they responded in a timely manner. I then contacted moc/soc for further guidance. Moc contacted contract maintenance in pit and a mechanic reported to the aircraft within 10 mins. I observed the mechanic open the APU service panel and begin a visual inspection. At that point I left the aircraft for approximately 20 mins. When I returned the mechanic was gone but the MEL entry I made had not been signed off or cleared. I contacted moc and was informed the contract mechanic had finished with the inspection and communicated to moc that he could find no evidence of a fire. Moc instructed me to enter into the logbook a crew placard and continue my flight sequence to mia in the aircraft. When I questioned why the mechanic did not make the appropriate maintenance entry I was xferred to a moc supervisor named XXXX. XXXX insisted the mechanic did not need to sign the aml and a crew placard was appropriate for the aml entry I had made. XXXX also reaffirmed the mechanic was satisfied the APU or APU compartment showed no evidence of a fire. He then issued me an aml crew placard authority/authorized number for the placard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMJ PIC IS BOTHERED BY THE FACT THAT HE WAS ADVISED BY MAINT CTLR TO ENTER A CREW PLACARD NOTATION FOR AN MEL OF THE APU AFTER IT HAD BEEN INSPECTED, BUT NOT SIGNED OFF FOR A GND FIRE INDICATION AT THE RAMP IN PIT, PA.

Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING AN APU START TO PWR UP THE ACFT FOR ITS FIRST FLT OF THE DAY THE FO NOTED THE APU HUNG START AT 24% RPM. AFTER ABORTING THE START THE APU FIRE INDICATION ILLUMINATED ON THE EICAS. THE FO THEN COMPLETED THE APU FIRE EPC. AS I ENTERED THE ACFT FROM THE JETBRIDGE I NOTED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE APU COMPARTMENT. I THEN ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND OBSERVED THE FO COMPLETE THE APU FIRE EPC. PIT FIRE/RESCUE WAS CALLED AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AND THEY RESPONDED IN A TIMELY MANNER. I THEN CONTACTED MOC/SOC FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE. MOC CONTACTED CONTRACT MAINT IN PIT AND A MECH RPTED TO THE ACFT WITHIN 10 MINS. I OBSERVED THE MECH OPEN THE APU SVC PANEL AND BEGIN A VISUAL INSPECTION. AT THAT POINT I LEFT THE ACFT FOR APPROX 20 MINS. WHEN I RETURNED THE MECH WAS GONE BUT THE MEL ENTRY I MADE HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED OFF OR CLRED. I CONTACTED MOC AND WAS INFORMED THE CONTRACT MECH HAD FINISHED WITH THE INSPECTION AND COMMUNICATED TO MOC THAT HE COULD FIND NO EVIDENCE OF A FIRE. MOC INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER INTO THE LOGBOOK A CREW PLACARD AND CONTINUE MY FLT SEQUENCE TO MIA IN THE ACFT. WHEN I QUESTIONED WHY THE MECH DID NOT MAKE THE APPROPRIATE MAINT ENTRY I WAS XFERRED TO A MOC SUPVR NAMED XXXX. XXXX INSISTED THE MECH DID NOT NEED TO SIGN THE AML AND A CREW PLACARD WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE AML ENTRY I HAD MADE. XXXX ALSO REAFFIRMED THE MECH WAS SATISFIED THE APU OR APU COMPARTMENT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF A FIRE. HE THEN ISSUED ME AN AML CREW PLACARD AUTH NUMBER FOR THE PLACARD.

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.