A B777-200 flight crew reports all fire detection ability was lost on #2 engine. Also; engine status...

Attributes
ACN	771994
Time
Date	200801
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	771995
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	771995
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fire detection system
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

En route all fire detection ability was lost on the #2 engine. We decided to return to ZZZ. Dispatch; maintenance; as well as the duty manager were all consulted during the decision making process. Rerte; and return to ZZZ were all uneventful. A variation of this maintenance issue had surfaced 3-4 times on this aircraft over the preceding couple of days never having been fully resolved. This particular event actually included the complete failure of both fire loops instead of just one which had occurred previously. Supplemental information from acn 771995: approximately 1 hour west of ZZZ over the ocean; noticed 3 status messages: overheat circuit R2; fire loop 2 engine right; engine igniter R1. (The first 2 status messages were previous write-ups.) several seconds later; the EICAS message 'det fire engine right' appeared and then disappeared. When this EICAS message appeared; the status messages: overheat circuit R2 and fire loop 2 engine right disappeared. Later these status messages reappeared. Called maintenance control and the dispatcher. Then consulted with the duty manager. They decided it was unwise to continue and recommended that we return to ZZZ. We contacted ATC via cpdlc. It took approximately 8 mins to get a rerte back to ZZZ. On return leg to ZZZ; got the same EICAS message of det fire engine right which then disappeared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777-200 FLIGHT CREW REPORTS ALL FIRE DETECTION ABILITY WAS LOST ON #2 ENG. ALSO; ENG STATUS AND EICAS MESSAGES APPEARING THEN DISAPPEARING; INCLUDING THE OVERHEAT CIRCUIT; FIRE WARNING LOOP AND ENG IGNITER.

Narrative: ENRTE ALL FIRE DETECTION ABILITY WAS LOST ON THE #2 ENG. WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. DISPATCH; MAINT; AS WELL AS THE DUTY MGR WERE ALL CONSULTED DURING THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS. RERTE; AND RETURN TO ZZZ WERE ALL UNEVENTFUL. A VARIATION OF THIS MAINT ISSUE HAD SURFACED 3-4 TIMES ON THIS ACFT OVER THE PRECEDING COUPLE OF DAYS NEVER HAVING BEEN FULLY RESOLVED. THIS PARTICULAR EVENT ACTUALLY INCLUDED THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF BOTH FIRE LOOPS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE WHICH HAD OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 771995: APPROX 1 HR W OF ZZZ OVER THE OCEAN; NOTICED 3 STATUS MESSAGES: OVERHEAT CIRCUIT R2; FIRE LOOP 2 ENG R; ENG IGNITER R1. (THE FIRST 2 STATUS MESSAGES WERE PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS.) SEVERAL SECONDS LATER; THE EICAS MESSAGE 'DET FIRE ENG R' APPEARED AND THEN DISAPPEARED. WHEN THIS EICAS MESSAGE APPEARED; THE STATUS MESSAGES: OVERHEAT CIRCUIT R2 AND FIRE LOOP 2 ENG R DISAPPEARED. LATER THESE STATUS MESSAGES REAPPEARED. CALLED MAINT CTL AND THE DISPATCHER. THEN CONSULTED WITH THE DUTY MGR. THEY DECIDED IT WAS UNWISE TO CONTINUE AND RECOMMENDED THAT WE RETURN TO ZZZ. WE CONTACTED ATC VIA CPDLC. IT TOOK APPROX 8 MINS TO GET A RERTE BACK TO ZZZ. ON RETURN LEG TO ZZZ; GOT THE SAME EICAS MESSAGE OF DET FIRE ENG R WHICH THEN DISAPPEARED.

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.

A B777-200 flight crew reports all fire detection ability was lost on #2 engine. Also; engine status and EICAS messages appearing then disappearing; including the overheat circuit; fire warning loop and engine igniter.