Narrative:

I was working local control, and cleared a B737 to land on runway 5L. Aircraft rolled out to intersection B5. I advised aircraft to hold short of runway 5R and to remain on my frequency. Aircraft advised that they were declaring an emergency with smoke in cockpit. I advised ground control to roll the emergency equipment. I had to send an E145 around and back to approach for re-sequencing because B737 was still on runway. About 2 mins passed and B737 advised that emergency was simulated. I was not pleased. Advised B737 to cross runway 5R, contact ground, and to call the watch supervisor when he got to the FBO to explain what had happened. Pilot advised aircraft was on an FAA proving flight. 1 FAA inspector was on the flight deck and another in the passenger cabin. On rollout the inspector in passenger cabin pulled the fire alarm. Flight deck inspector did not know this was being done, so as far as he knew, the emergency was real. It is a prime example of poor communication. This situation caused disruption in traffic flow and cost the E145 time and fuel because of the go around.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TYS CTLR ISSUED GAR TO LNDG TFC AFTER B737 DECLARES EMER AND REMAINS ON RWY ONLY TO DISCOVER EMER WAS SIMULATED.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL, AND CLRED A B737 TO LAND ON RWY 5L. ACFT ROLLED OUT TO INTXN B5. I ADVISED ACFT TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 5R AND TO REMAIN ON MY FREQ. ACFT ADVISED THAT THEY WERE DECLARING AN EMER WITH SMOKE IN COCKPIT. I ADVISED GND CTL TO ROLL THE EMER EQUIP. I HAD TO SEND AN E145 AROUND AND BACK TO APCH FOR RE-SEQUENCING BECAUSE B737 WAS STILL ON RWY. ABOUT 2 MINS PASSED AND B737 ADVISED THAT EMER WAS SIMULATED. I WAS NOT PLEASED. ADVISED B737 TO CROSS RWY 5R, CONTACT GND, AND TO CALL THE WATCH SUPVR WHEN HE GOT TO THE FBO TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAD HAPPENED. PLT ADVISED ACFT WAS ON AN FAA PROVING FLT. 1 FAA INSPECTOR WAS ON THE FLT DECK AND ANOTHER IN THE PAX CABIN. ON ROLLOUT THE INSPECTOR IN PAX CABIN PULLED THE FIRE ALARM. FLT DECK INSPECTOR DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS BEING DONE, SO AS FAR AS HE KNEW, THE EMER WAS REAL. IT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF POOR COM. THIS SIT CAUSED DISRUPTION IN TFC FLOW AND COST THE E145 TIME AND FUEL BECAUSE OF THE GAR.

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.