An air carrier DC10-40 had to return land with an apparent in-flight engine fire. There was no fire.

Attributes
ACN	370479
Time
Date	199706
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 40
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	370479
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 5 KTS below V1 on takeoff roll, the #1 fire warning light and bell indicated a fire in the #1 engine. Takeoff was continued, and at approximately 800 ft AGL, the #1 'thrust reverser unlocked' light also illuminated. An emergency was declared and fuel dumping was started at approximately 1200 ft AGL. Approximately 17000 pounds of fuel was dumped and aircraft returned to msp. All emergency checklists were completed, fire extinguisher agent discharged, and the fire light went out. Aircraft returned without further incident, and after inspection by the msp crash fire rescue equipment crew, passenger were deplaned at the gate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the DC10-40 with pratt and whitney engines. There was no fire. The warning was caused by the 15TH stage bleed failing sending very hot, high pressure air inside the cowling. Bleed air operates the reversers. When pressure was released, the reversers were able to relax. They did not open. There was no aircraft damage except to the ducting and its insulation. The flight crew immediately went to a replacement aircraft, so the reporter did not have much time to investigate the aircraft. He has not heard from the FAA on this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC10-40 HAD TO RETURN LAND WITH AN APPARENT INFLT ENG FIRE. THERE WAS NO FIRE.

Narrative: APPROX 5 KTS BELOW V1 ON TKOF ROLL, THE #1 FIRE WARNING LIGHT AND BELL INDICATED A FIRE IN THE #1 ENG. TKOF WAS CONTINUED, AND AT APPROX 800 FT AGL, THE #1 'THRUST REVERSER UNLOCKED' LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND FUEL DUMPING WAS STARTED AT APPROX 1200 FT AGL. APPROX 17000 LBS OF FUEL WAS DUMPED AND ACFT RETURNED TO MSP. ALL EMER CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED, FIRE EXTINGUISHER AGENT DISCHARGED, AND THE FIRE LIGHT WENT OUT. ACFT RETURNED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, AND AFTER INSPECTION BY THE MSP CFR CREW, PAX WERE DEPLANED AT THE GATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE DC10-40 WITH PRATT AND WHITNEY ENGS. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE WARNING WAS CAUSED BY THE 15TH STAGE BLEED FAILING SENDING VERY HOT, HIGH PRESSURE AIR INSIDE THE COWLING. BLEED AIR OPERATES THE REVERSERS. WHEN PRESSURE WAS RELEASED, THE REVERSERS WERE ABLE TO RELAX. THEY DID NOT OPEN. THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE EXCEPT TO THE DUCTING AND ITS INSULATION. THE FLC IMMEDIATELY WENT TO A REPLACEMENT ACFT, SO THE RPTR DID NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO INVESTIGATE THE ACFT. HE HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS INCIDENT.

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.