<< >> NASA ASRS Report 560389, September 2002

A false lavatory smoke indication results in a declaration of an emergency and return to departure station. An FAA official questioned the decision.

Attributes
ACN	560389
Time
Date	200209
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmi.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmi.tracon tower : san.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 4290 flight time type : 2370
ASRS Report	560389
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fire warning
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Toilet smoke caption illuminated on initial climb. We ran the checklist and declared an emergency and returned for a landing. When briefing the flight attendant, she informed me that she could detect no indications of smoke or fire. The toilet smoke caption extinguished on final approach. The fire trucks followed us to the gate. Firemen inspected the aircraft and found no indication of smoke or fire. Maintenance was called and they returned the aircraft to service. An FAA inspector called and expressed concern as to why I declared an emergency for a false warning. I told him I had no way of knowing that until after landing. We then completed the flight with no passenger. On the ramp in stl the toilet smoke caption illuminated again. Maintenance then deferred the system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FALSE LAVATORY SMOKE INDICATION RESULTS IN A DECLARATION OF AN EMER AND RETURN TO DEP STATION. AN FAA OFFICIAL QUESTIONED THE DECISION.

Narrative: TOILET SMOKE CAPTION ILLUMINATED ON INITIAL CLB. WE RAN THE CHKLIST AND DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED FOR A LNDG. WHEN BRIEFING THE FLT ATTENDANT, SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE COULD DETECT NO INDICATIONS OF SMOKE OR FIRE. THE TOILET SMOKE CAPTION EXTINGUISHED ON FINAL APCH. THE FIRE TRUCKS FOLLOWED US TO THE GATE. FIREMEN INSPECTED THE ACFT AND FOUND NO INDICATION OF SMOKE OR FIRE. MAINT WAS CALLED AND THEY RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC. AN FAA INSPECTOR CALLED AND EXPRESSED CONCERN AS TO WHY I DECLARED AN EMER FOR A FALSE WARNING. I TOLD HIM I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT UNTIL AFTER LNDG. WE THEN COMPLETED THE FLT WITH NO PAX. ON THE RAMP IN STL THE TOILET SMOKE CAPTION ILLUMINATED AGAIN. MAINT THEN DEFERRED THE SYS.

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.