A commercial fixed wing large transport during climb out at 8000 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to a #3 engine fire warning caused by a failed engine starter valve dumping pneumatic air into the cowling.

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Attributes
ACN	400188
Time
Date	199804
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : slc tower : yvr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	400188
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb out the #3 engine fire warning system activated. Fire bell was canceled, and the engineer noted that it activated when he opened the #3 bleed air valves. He closed the valves and all fire indications ceased. We completed our checklist -- the fire test system tested normally, and we returned to slc with the #3 engine running, but at idle thrust. We landed uneventfully, stopped on a high speed taxiway, and asked the fire department to confirm that there were no fire indications. After they said none was visible, we returned to the gate. Maintenance found the start valve (#3 engine) failed approximately 25% open, and as a result the starter was destroyed prior to our fire indication. Thus, when the #3 bleed air valves were opened, bleed air was vented into the engine cowling causing the warning. Because the start valve partially closed, the engineer did see a duct pressure rise when the start switch was released.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL FIXED WING LGT DURING CLBOUT AT 8000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO A #3 ENG FIRE WARNING CAUSED BY A FAILED ENG STARTER VALVE DUMPING PNEUMATIC AIR INTO THE COWLING.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT THE #3 ENG FIRE WARNING SYS ACTIVATED. FIRE BELL WAS CANCELED, AND THE ENGINEER NOTED THAT IT ACTIVATED WHEN HE OPENED THE #3 BLEED AIR VALVES. HE CLOSED THE VALVES AND ALL FIRE INDICATIONS CEASED. WE COMPLETED OUR CHKLIST -- THE FIRE TEST SYS TESTED NORMALLY, AND WE RETURNED TO SLC WITH THE #3 ENG RUNNING, BUT AT IDLE THRUST. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY, STOPPED ON A HIGH SPD TXWY, AND ASKED THE FIRE DEPT TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WERE NO FIRE INDICATIONS. AFTER THEY SAID NONE WAS VISIBLE, WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. MAINT FOUND THE START VALVE (#3 ENG) FAILED APPROX 25% OPEN, AND AS A RESULT THE STARTER WAS DESTROYED PRIOR TO OUR FIRE INDICATION. THUS, WHEN THE #3 BLEED AIR VALVES WERE OPENED, BLEED AIR WAS VENTED INTO THE ENG COWLING CAUSING THE WARNING. BECAUSE THE START VALVE PARTIALLY CLOSED, THE ENGINEER DID SEE A DUCT PRESSURE RISE WHEN THE START SWITCH WAS RELEASED.

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.