A jetstream 32 flight crew received a cargo compartment smoke warning on final approach to abe.

Attributes
ACN	442399
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	442399
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3550 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	443109
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

After being cleared for the approach, the 'baggage smoke' light illuminated advising us that there was possible smoke in the main baggage compartment. I requested heading and altitude to give us time to assess the situation. We completed our checklist from our QRH and determined that it was possibly a false alarm. I declared an emergency, landed and executed a precautionary evacuate/evacuation after clearing the active runway. There were no injuries and no aircraft damage. The culprit appears to have been a dirty smoke detector in the baggage compartment which triggered a false alarm.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A JETSTREAM 32 FLC RECEIVED A CARGO COMPARTMENT SMOKE WARNING ON FINAL APCH TO ABE.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH, THE 'BAGGAGE SMOKE' LIGHT ILLUMINATED ADVISING US THAT THERE WAS POSSIBLE SMOKE IN THE MAIN BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. I REQUESTED HDG AND ALT TO GIVE US TIME TO ASSESS THE SIT. WE COMPLETED OUR CHKLIST FROM OUR QRH AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY A FALSE ALARM. I DECLARED AN EMER, LANDED AND EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY EVAC AFTER CLRING THE ACTIVE RWY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO ACFT DAMAGE. THE CULPRIT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A DIRTY SMOKE DETECTOR IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT WHICH TRIGGERED A FALSE ALARM.

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.