In-flight smoke and fire due to aircondition pack failure.

Attributes
ACN	142485
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	142485
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On a flight from sdf to pit 80 NM southwest of pittsburgh. Smoke and glowing sparking fire was reported coming from inside the tailcone of our medium large transport by our F/a and confirmed by my first officer. An emergency was declared and, 8-10 mins later, a landing and an emergency evacuation was followed, with no injuries to passengers or crew. The emergency ground fire/rescue response was excellent. The evacuation was smooth and no injuries were reported. The first officer and F/a's did a superb job in keeping our passengers calm and away from the aircraft. Some smoke was seen by firemen and was put out immediately after deploying the tailcone. The cause of smoke was later revealed by maintenance as a seized air cycle machine. There were no cockpit indications of any overheat condition. My decision for declaring an emergency was based on my crew's reports. I believe the reason for no injuries during our evacuation was a direct result of our training. It actually works!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT SMOKE AND FIRE DUE TO AIRCONDITION PACK FAILURE.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM SDF TO PIT 80 NM SW OF PITTSBURGH. SMOKE AND GLOWING SPARKING FIRE WAS RPTED COMING FROM INSIDE THE TAILCONE OF OUR MLG BY OUR F/A AND CONFIRMED BY MY F/O. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND, 8-10 MINS LATER, A LNDG AND AN EMER EVACUATION WAS FOLLOWED, WITH NO INJURIES TO PAXS OR CREW. THE EMER GND FIRE/RESCUE RESPONSE WAS EXCELLENT. THE EVACUATION WAS SMOOTH AND NO INJURIES WERE RPTED. THE F/O AND F/A'S DID A SUPERB JOB IN KEEPING OUR PAXS CALM AND AWAY FROM THE ACFT. SOME SMOKE WAS SEEN BY FIREMEN AND WAS PUT OUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPLOYING THE TAILCONE. THE CAUSE OF SMOKE WAS LATER REVEALED BY MAINT AS A SEIZED AIR CYCLE MACHINE. THERE WERE NO COCKPIT INDICATIONS OF ANY OVERHEAT CONDITION. MY DECISION FOR DECLARING AN EMER WAS BASED ON MY CREW'S RPTS. I BELIEVE THE REASON FOR NO INJURIES DURING OUR EVACUATION WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF OUR TRNING. IT ACTUALLY WORKS!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.