Ground vehicle on fire in close proximity to a parked large transport.

Attributes
ACN	245793
Time
Date	199307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 16000
ASRS Report	245793
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

Approximately 10 mins prior to scheduled departure time, the cockpit crew noticed smoke in the cockpit. The mechanics were in the ee compartment working on the TCASII, so my first thoughts were that something had shorted out in the compartment. We immediately turned off the air conditioning packs. The first officer called for a mechanic and I checked for other cockpit indications. Maintenance informed us that a food truck had caught fire on the ramp and the packs had picked up the smoke. I understood that the truck was behind the airplane and not a problem since boarding was continuing and all pre-departure communications were normal. As we prepared for pushback, the mechanics asked if we knew about the truck fire. It was at this time that I learned that the truck hood was under the aft fuselage of the aircraft when it caught fire. Upon inquiry to maintenance, I was satisfied that there was no damage to the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND VEHICLE ON FIRE IN CLOSE PROX TO A PARKED LGT.

Narrative: APPROX 10 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP TIME, THE COCKPIT CREW NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE MECHS WERE IN THE EE COMPARTMENT WORKING ON THE TCASII, SO MY FIRST THOUGHTS WERE THAT SOMETHING HAD SHORTED OUT IN THE COMPARTMENT. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING PACKS. THE FO CALLED FOR A MECH AND I CHKED FOR OTHER COCKPIT INDICATIONS. MAINT INFORMED US THAT A FOOD TRUCK HAD CAUGHT FIRE ON THE RAMP AND THE PACKS HAD PICKED UP THE SMOKE. I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE TRUCK WAS BEHIND THE AIRPLANE AND NOT A PROB SINCE BOARDING WAS CONTINUING AND ALL PRE-DEP COMS WERE NORMAL. AS WE PREPARED FOR PUSHBACK, THE MECHS ASKED IF WE KNEW ABOUT THE TRUCK FIRE. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I LEARNED THAT THE TRUCK HOOD WAS UNDER THE AFT FUSELAGE OF THE ACFT WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE. UPON INQUIRY TO MAINT, I WAS SATISFIED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

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.