EMB170 crew reports the activation of the fwd lav smoke warning for no apparent reason during taxi t...

Attributes
ACN	735725
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 170/175 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 122 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 122
ASRS Report	735725
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 65
ASRS Report	735726
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Resolutory Action	aircraft : evacuated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After landing; tower informed us that our gate was not available. They instructed us to taxi to microphone taxiway and remain clear of the runway while we waited for our gate to clear. As we turned around and got onto microphone taxiway; the fwd lav smoke detector warning light illuminated. The warning in the fwd lav sounded as well. After communication with flight attendant we determined that there was no visible fire; but we did have a burning smell in the air. There were no passenger in the lav prior to the warning. We then declared an emergency so we could get to a gate and evacuate the passenger off the aircraft. After a departing aircraft on runway 9L; we were cleared to a gate that was nearby. We had the fire trucks follow us in to the gate. When we arrived at the gate the warning extinguished. It was on for a total of 5 minutes (estimated). We informed the passenger to gather their belongings and deplane as normal. The fire crew and maintenance staff met us at the gate and we determined that there was no active fire in the lav.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB170 CREW RPTS THE ACTIVATION OF THE FWD LAV SMOKE WARNING FOR NO APPARENT REASON DURING TAXI TO GATE

Narrative: AFTER LNDG; TWR INFORMED US THAT OUR GATE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THEY INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO MIKE TXWY AND REMAIN CLR OF THE RWY WHILE WE WAITED FOR OUR GATE TO CLR. AS WE TURNED AROUND AND GOT ONTO MIKE TXWY; THE FWD LAV SMOKE DETECTOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE WARNING IN THE FWD LAV SOUNDED AS WELL. AFTER COMMUNICATION WITH FLT ATTENDANT WE DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE FIRE; BUT WE DID HAVE A BURNING SMELL IN THE AIR. THERE WERE NO PAX IN THE LAV PRIOR TO THE WARNING. WE THEN DECLARED AN EMER SO WE COULD GET TO A GATE AND EVACUATE THE PAX OFF THE ACFT. AFTER A DEPARTING ACFT ON RWY 9L; WE WERE CLRED TO A GATE THAT WAS NEARBY. WE HAD THE FIRE TRUCKS FOLLOW US IN TO THE GATE. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE THE WARNING EXTINGUISHED. IT WAS ON FOR A TOTAL OF 5 MINUTES (ESTIMATED). WE INFORMED THE PAX TO GATHER THEIR BELONGINGS AND DEPLANE AS NORMAL. THE FIRE CREW AND MAINT STAFF MET US AT THE GATE AND WE DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO ACTIVE FIRE IN THE LAV.

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.

EMB170 crew reports the activation of the fwd lav smoke warning for no apparent reason during taxi to gate