<< >> NASA ASRS Report 568678, December 2002

B737-300 crew did not have a current maintenance release after returning to the departure station with an APU fire warning.

Attributes
ACN	568678
Time
Date	200212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sea.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	568678
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : apu fire warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

APU fire light. On climb out from sea, we got an APU fire warning light with the APU off. We executed the checklist, declared an emergency, and returned to sea. Tower didn't see any sign of a fire (nor did we). We cleared the runway and had fire personnel check us out. They saw no indications, and we taxied to the gate. Maintenance personnel performed checks and found it to be a false indication. He also performed an overweight landing inspection, but not a new airworthiness release. The captain talked with dispatch and maintenance, but not a chief pilot. There was confusion as to whether an airworthiness release is required or not. Referencing fom X and the recent company publication, the company publication is specific on which things don't need a new airworthiness release. Also, when does a crew need to immediately contact a chief pilot referencing fom Y? (Is this airborne or once on the ground?) and the chart, which doesn't list the chief pilot?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT MAINT RELEASE AFTER RETURNING TO THE DEP STATION WITH AN APU FIRE WARNING.

Narrative: APU FIRE LIGHT. ON CLBOUT FROM SEA, WE GOT AN APU FIRE WARNING LIGHT WITH THE APU OFF. WE EXECUTED THE CHKLIST, DECLARED AN EMER, AND RETURNED TO SEA. TWR DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGN OF A FIRE (NOR DID WE). WE CLRED THE RWY AND HAD FIRE PERSONNEL CHK US OUT. THEY SAW NO INDICATIONS, AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. MAINT PERSONNEL PERFORMED CHKS AND FOUND IT TO BE A FALSE INDICATION. HE ALSO PERFORMED AN OVERWT LNDG INSPECTION, BUT NOT A NEW AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE. THE CAPT TALKED WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT, BUT NOT A CHIEF PLT. THERE WAS CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE IS REQUIRED OR NOT. REFING FOM X AND THE RECENT COMPANY PUB, THE COMPANY PUB IS SPECIFIC ON WHICH THINGS DON'T NEED A NEW AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE. ALSO, WHEN DOES A CREW NEED TO IMMEDIATELY CONTACT A CHIEF PLT REFING FOM Y? (IS THIS AIRBORNE OR ONCE ON THE GND?) AND THE CHART, WHICH DOESN'T LIST THE CHIEF PLT?

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.