B747-400 encounters EICAS cargo compartment smoke detector warnings caused by emissions from honeybe...

Attributes
ACN	769535
Time
Date	200801
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zan.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	769535
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After about 2-3 hours of flight; got 'aft cargo 3 lpb' status message (smoke detector loop B) status message. About 30 mins later; got 'forward cargo 1 lpa' status message also (smoke detector loop a). Sent ZZZZ maintenance a message. He did some investigating and found that we had bees in both cargo pits and he suspected this to be the cause. On waking up from my break; I noted that we had 'aft cargo 4 lpa' and 'forward cargo 1 lpa' messages only. There was some discussion with maintenance and the duty flight manager about bees and maybe dry ice being on board. We had documentation of neither being loaded. If we had gotten a cargo fire warning; we would have had to blow the bottles and divert (we were 1000 mi from land.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 ENCOUNTERS EICAS CARGO COMPARTMENT SMOKE DETECTOR WARNINGS CAUSED BY EMISSIONS FROM HONEYBEE SHIPMENTS.

Narrative: AFTER ABOUT 2-3 HRS OF FLT; GOT 'AFT CARGO 3 LPB' STATUS MESSAGE (SMOKE DETECTOR LOOP B) STATUS MESSAGE. ABOUT 30 MINS LATER; GOT 'FORWARD CARGO 1 LPA' STATUS MESSAGE ALSO (SMOKE DETECTOR LOOP A). SENT ZZZZ MAINT A MESSAGE. HE DID SOME INVESTIGATING AND FOUND THAT WE HAD BEES IN BOTH CARGO PITS AND HE SUSPECTED THIS TO BE THE CAUSE. ON WAKING UP FROM MY BREAK; I NOTED THAT WE HAD 'AFT CARGO 4 LPA' AND 'FORWARD CARGO 1 LPA' MESSAGES ONLY. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION WITH MAINT AND THE DUTY FLT MGR ABOUT BEES AND MAYBE DRY ICE BEING ON BOARD. WE HAD DOCUMENTATION OF NEITHER BEING LOADED. IF WE HAD GOTTEN A CARGO FIRE WARNING; WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO BLOW THE BOTTLES AND DIVERT (WE WERE 1000 MI FROM LAND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

B747-400 encounters EICAS cargo compartment smoke detector warnings caused by emissions from honeybee shipments.