A B737 flight crew saw the cargo fire detection light illuminate during preflight. It was a false al...

Attributes
ACN	807683
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 4498
ASRS Report	807683
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While on the ground in ZZZ; the cargo fire detection light illuminated and the fire bell began to ring. We tried to silence the bell and then we discovered the only way to silence the bell was to pull the circuit breaker behind the first officer's seat. The first officer then checked to make sure the cargo compartment was not on fire. It was not. We then contacted maintenance via dispatch. We were then told we would have parts coming from ZZZ1. In the meantime; we were asked several times by the agents if we would fly the aircraft with no bags in cargo compartment. I said no. It was at this point that one of the agents became irritated with me for saying no. This continued for the better part of 4 hours with various pleas to take them to ZZZ1. I explained my decision several times to at least 3 different agents. Parts to our aircraft were to be flown from ZZZ1 to ZZZ via; I believe; another air carrier. They did not make it due to a WX divert. It was at this time we began to make arrangements to go to the hotel. There will be more to this report forthcoming in the next few days. The long and short of it is; I would not fly the airplane to ZZZ1. The agents in ZZZ were very unhappy with our decision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLT CREW SAW THE CARGO FIRE DETECTION LIGHT ILLUMINATE DURING PREFLIGHT. IT WAS A FALSE ALARM; BUT THEY DID NOT WANT TO DEPART UNTIL THE SYSTEM WAS FIXED. THEY ENCOUNTERED SOME PRESSURE FROM COMPANY PERSONNEL WHO WANTED THE FLIGHT TO OPERATE.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE GND IN ZZZ; THE CARGO FIRE DETECTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE FIRE BELL BEGAN TO RING. WE TRIED TO SILENCE THE BELL AND THEN WE DISCOVERED THE ONLY WAY TO SILENCE THE BELL WAS TO PULL THE CIRCUIT BREAKER BEHIND THE FO'S SEAT. THE FO THEN CHKED TO MAKE SURE THE CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS NOT ON FIRE. IT WAS NOT. WE THEN CONTACTED MAINT VIA DISPATCH. WE WERE THEN TOLD WE WOULD HAVE PARTS COMING FROM ZZZ1. IN THE MEANTIME; WE WERE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES BY THE AGENTS IF WE WOULD FLY THE ACFT WITH NO BAGS IN CARGO COMPARTMENT. I SAID NO. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT ONE OF THE AGENTS BECAME IRRITATED WITH ME FOR SAYING NO. THIS CONTINUED FOR THE BETTER PART OF 4 HRS WITH VARIOUS PLEAS TO TAKE THEM TO ZZZ1. I EXPLAINED MY DECISION SEVERAL TIMES TO AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT AGENTS. PARTS TO OUR ACFT WERE TO BE FLOWN FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ VIA; I BELIEVE; ANOTHER ACR. THEY DID NOT MAKE IT DUE TO A WX DIVERT. IT WAS AT THIS TIME WE BEGAN TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO GO TO THE HOTEL. THERE WILL BE MORE TO THIS RPT FORTHCOMING IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT IS; I WOULD NOT FLY THE AIRPLANE TO ZZZ1. THE AGENTS IN ZZZ WERE VERY UNHAPPY WITH OUR DECISION.

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 B737 flight crew saw the cargo fire detection light illuminate during preflight. It was a false alarm; but they did not want to depart until the system was fixed. They encountered some pressure from company personnel who wanted the flight to operate.