DC8 flight crew has a lower cargo fire warning; declares emergency and diverts for landing.

Attributes
ACN	704483
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	704483
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	704484
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cargo fire warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 15 mins after level off at FL360; we received a lower cargo fire warning; and a fwd a indication. We initiated emergency procedures; declared an emergency; and received vectors. At around 10000 ft and warning lights extinguished. We proceeded and landed uneventfully; and after cling the runway accomplished an emergency evacuation; deploying the escape slide. Arff personnel were ready for us; and immediately took charge of the aircraft; opening cargo compartments and visually checking for any fire. After the plane was towed to a parking spot; a mechanic found some frayed and charred wires leading to a light fixture in the forward lower cargo hold (pit 31); which was empty for this flight. There were no personnel injuries; no damage to the aircraft other than that incurred from the fire/smoke. No hard landing; no hot brakes; etc. The dc-8 uses a separate system of oxygen mask and smoke goggle; unlike the single-piece system on some other aircraft. This combination is at best unwieldy to don and use. Recommend that aircraft be issued modern oxygen/smoke goggle units.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 FLT CREW HAS A LOWER CARGO FIRE WARNING; DECLARES EMER AND DIVERTS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: APPROX 15 MINS AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL360; WE RECEIVED A LOWER CARGO FIRE WARNING; AND A FWD A INDICATION. WE INITIATED EMER PROCS; DECLARED AN EMER; AND RECEIVED VECTORS. AT AROUND 10000 FT AND WARNING LIGHTS EXTINGUISHED. WE PROCEEDED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY; AND AFTER CLING THE RWY ACCOMPLISHED AN EMER EVACUATION; DEPLOYING THE ESCAPE SLIDE. ARFF PERSONNEL WERE READY FOR US; AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK CHARGE OF THE ACFT; OPENING CARGO COMPARTMENTS AND VISUALLY CHKING FOR ANY FIRE. AFTER THE PLANE WAS TOWED TO A PARKING SPOT; A MECHANIC FOUND SOME FRAYED AND CHARRED WIRES LEADING TO A LIGHT FIXTURE IN THE FORWARD LOWER CARGO HOLD (PIT 31); WHICH WAS EMPTY FOR THIS FLT. THERE WERE NO PERSONNEL INJURIES; NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OTHER THAN THAT INCURRED FROM THE FIRE/SMOKE. NO HARD LNDG; NO HOT BRAKES; ETC. THE DC-8 USES A SEPARATE SYSTEM OF OXYGEN MASK AND SMOKE GOGGLE; UNLIKE THE SINGLE-PIECE SYSTEM ON SOME OTHER ACFT. THIS COMBINATION IS AT BEST UNWIELDY TO DON AND USE. RECOMMEND THAT ACFT BE ISSUED MODERN OXYGEN/SMOKE GOGGLE UNITS.

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.