Narrative:

Forward cargo warning EICAS message displayed during ILS approach bkk at about OM runway 21R night MVFR conditions. Captain landed and turned off at end of runway on south end of runway 21R taxiway C abeam spot 108. First officer was instructed to call emergency equipment during landing roll and complete qrc for 'forward cargo fire.' captain advised first flight attendant on situation and to check cabin for smoke and possible evacuate/evacuation. Captain shut down engines 2-3-4 for cargo compartment inspection by ramp personnel when they arrived. No fire or smoke noted by flight attendant or ramp personnel. Captain advised ground personnel that #1 engine was running for electrical power. APU was dispatched inoperative. Passenger remained on aircraft and were not evacuate/evacuationed. After inspection was completed; captain xbleed started on #4 engine and taxied to gate xx. EICAS message cargo fire remained illuminated even after fire bottles were discharged. Captain noted that 'inoperative APU' not advisable for deferral by company due to international operations middle of night to remote southeast asia destination. If this emergency had occurred earlier in flight; flight would have to land at emergency airport in northeast thailand or danang; vietnam; where aircraft would have been stuck without electrical power or start capabilities.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 CARGO FIRE OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON SHORT FINAL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED FALSE WARNING. ACFT NOT EVACED.

Narrative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

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.