Narrative:

Engine start; taxi and takeoff roll were normal. During rotation the fire detect light on the forward panel and the fault light on the so panel began to flash. The nacelle temperature gauge for the #4 engine 'a' loop was fluctuating between 3 and 8. Due to the recent history on the aircraft we requested to return to the field. Tower cleared us to turn left for a left downwind for runway 18 and to level at 2500 ft. While on downwind we climbed to 3500 ft per tower's request. When we leveled off the lights stopped flashing and the needle in the nacelle temperature gauge dropped to 2.5. The needle stayed at 2.5 for the remainder of the flight and after engine shutdown. There was no indication of a fire however one of the circuit boards in the fire detection panel was ruined. The flight was airborne 9 mins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 FLT CREW REPORTS FIRE DETECT LIGHT AT ROTATION WITH SUBSEQUENT RETURN TO FIELD AFTER NUMBER 4 ENGINE IS SECURED.

Narrative: ENG START; TAXI AND TKOF ROLL WERE NORMAL. DURING ROTATION THE FIRE DETECT LIGHT ON THE FORWARD PANEL AND THE FAULT LIGHT ON THE SO PANEL BEGAN TO FLASH. THE NACELLE TEMP GAUGE FOR THE #4 ENG 'A' LOOP WAS FLUCTUATING BTWN 3 AND 8. DUE TO THE RECENT HISTORY ON THE ACFT WE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD. TWR CLRED US TO TURN L FOR A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18 AND TO LEVEL AT 2500 FT. WHILE ON DOWNWIND WE CLBED TO 3500 FT PER TWR'S REQUEST. WHEN WE LEVELED OFF THE LIGHTS STOPPED FLASHING AND THE NEEDLE IN THE NACELLE TEMP GAUGE DROPPED TO 2.5. THE NEEDLE STAYED AT 2.5 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT AND AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A FIRE HOWEVER ONE OF THE CIRCUIT BOARDS IN THE FIRE DETECTION PANEL WAS RUINED. THE FLT WAS AIRBORNE 9 MINS.

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.