EMB140 captain experiences false bag smoke warning while parked at the gate.

Attributes
ACN	700234
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 140 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	700234
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During preflight and just before passenger boarding; bag smoke warning illuminated on EICAS; accompanied by warning light and bag warning light on overhead panel. EICAS message extinguished at about the same time that we pushed the warning button to cancel the message. The warning light on the overhead panel remained illuminated. The cargo door was open and we had no other indications of fire or smoke; either in the cabin or the cargo compartment. I remembered from my review of the aml that this same false indication occurred just a day or two ago. During this excitement we were introduced to our FAA jump seat rider. We called maintenance and entered the malfunction in the aml; noting that it was a repeat and recorded the corresponding log page. Maintenance conducted a fire test; during which the lights all illuminated and went out per normal; including the bag smoke light on the overhead panel. Not satisfied that the warning would not recur; maintenance deferred the smoke detector. This required all baggage to be removed from the C-4 bin; including valet bags.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB140 CAPT EXPERIENCES FALSE BAG SMOKE WARNING WHILE PARKED AT THE GATE.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT AND JUST BEFORE PAX BOARDING; BAG SMOKE WARNING ILLUMINATED ON EICAS; ACCOMPANIED BY WARNING LIGHT AND BAG WARNING LIGHT ON OVERHEAD PANEL. EICAS MESSAGE EXTINGUISHED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT WE PUSHED THE WARNING BUTTON TO CANCEL THE MESSAGE. THE WARNING LIGHT ON THE OVERHEAD PANEL REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CARGO DOOR WAS OPEN AND WE HAD NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF FIRE OR SMOKE; EITHER IN THE CABIN OR THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. I REMEMBERED FROM MY REVIEW OF THE AML THAT THIS SAME FALSE INDICATION OCCURRED JUST A DAY OR TWO AGO. DURING THIS EXCITEMENT WE WERE INTRODUCED TO OUR FAA JUMP SEAT RIDER. WE CALLED MAINT AND ENTERED THE MALFUNCTION IN THE AML; NOTING THAT IT WAS A REPEAT AND RECORDED THE CORRESPONDING LOG PAGE. MAINT CONDUCTED A FIRE TEST; DURING WHICH THE LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED AND WENT OUT PER NORMAL; INCLUDING THE BAG SMOKE LIGHT ON THE OVERHEAD PANEL. NOT SATISFIED THAT THE WARNING WOULD NOT RECUR; MAINT DEFERRED THE SMOKE DETECTOR. THIS REQUIRED ALL BAGGAGE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE C-4 BIN; INCLUDING VALET BAGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.