Narrative:

Cruising at FL270 'smoke' aural warning and 'cargo smoke' EICAS message annunciated. Performed appropriate memory items and QRH procedures. Immediately declared an emergency and began a descent (per QRH) down to 10000 ft. It should be noted that during the descent we also had a 'display cool' caution message -- probably totally unrelated, but because of the timing, it bears mentioning. QRH procedures were followed. A decision was made to divert to buf -- the original destination had been roc, and so advised ATC. The flight attendant was informed of the warning and possible fire, and told of the diversion. She then briefed the passenger. We had on board a company pilot jump seating and a deadheading flight attendant. Both turned out to be very valuable and helpful resources. Upon landing in buf, we taxied clear of the runway and had airport crash fire rescue equipment personnel open the cargo bin to determine if there was a fire. They determined that the plane was safe to taxi to the gate for a normal deplaning. An emergency evacuate/evacuation was not necessary -- in fact, this appears to have been a false alarm. The flight attendant noted that 2 laptop computers were in use at the time. Possible culprits? The landing was approximately 200 pounds overweight. Appropriate write-up was made and inspection performed. Crew coordination was excellent. Due to the high stress environment and increased likelihood of mistakes, I recommend the QRH procedures not be memory items. The time consumed by using QRH is justified in the higher certainty of doing things correctly. Supplemental information from acn 464518: at the time of the 'cargo smoke' warning, 2 laptop computers were in operation (passenger). Their possible interference with the cargo smoke detector might justify further tests.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 FLC DIVERTS TO BUF (DEST ARPT OF ROC) WHEN THEIR EICAS SYS WARNS OF CARGO SMOKE. AT BUF IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY HAD A FALSE WARNING, POSSIBLY CONNECTING THE EVENT WITH 2 LAPTOP COMPUTERS THAT WERE IN USE AT THE TIME.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL270 'SMOKE' AURAL WARNING AND 'CARGO SMOKE' EICAS MESSAGE ANNUNCIATED. PERFORMED APPROPRIATE MEMORY ITEMS AND QRH PROCS. IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER AND BEGAN A DSCNT (PER QRH) DOWN TO 10000 FT. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT DURING THE DSCNT WE ALSO HAD A 'DISPLAY COOL' CAUTION MESSAGE -- PROBABLY TOTALLY UNRELATED, BUT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING, IT BEARS MENTIONING. QRH PROCS WERE FOLLOWED. A DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO BUF -- THE ORIGINAL DEST HAD BEEN ROC, AND SO ADVISED ATC. THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS INFORMED OF THE WARNING AND POSSIBLE FIRE, AND TOLD OF THE DIVERSION. SHE THEN BRIEFED THE PAX. WE HAD ON BOARD A COMPANY PLT JUMP SEATING AND A DEADHEADING FLT ATTENDANT. BOTH TURNED OUT TO BE VERY VALUABLE AND HELPFUL RESOURCES. UPON LNDG IN BUF, WE TAXIED CLR OF THE RWY AND HAD ARPT CFR PERSONNEL OPEN THE CARGO BIN TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A FIRE. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PLANE WAS SAFE TO TAXI TO THE GATE FOR A NORMAL DEPLANING. AN EMER EVAC WAS NOT NECESSARY -- IN FACT, THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A FALSE ALARM. THE FLT ATTENDANT NOTED THAT 2 LAPTOP COMPUTERS WERE IN USE AT THE TIME. POSSIBLE CULPRITS? THE LNDG WAS APPROX 200 LBS OVERWT. APPROPRIATE WRITE-UP WAS MADE AND INSPECTION PERFORMED. CREW COORD WAS EXCELLENT. DUE TO THE HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENT AND INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF MISTAKES, I RECOMMEND THE QRH PROCS NOT BE MEMORY ITEMS. THE TIME CONSUMED BY USING QRH IS JUSTIFIED IN THE HIGHER CERTAINTY OF DOING THINGS CORRECTLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 464518: AT THE TIME OF THE 'CARGO SMOKE' WARNING, 2 LAPTOP COMPUTERS WERE IN OP (PAX). THEIR POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE WITH THE CARGO SMOKE DETECTOR MIGHT JUSTIFY FURTHER TESTS.

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.