An A320 flight crew on approach receive forward cargo ECAM message; declared emergency and land with...

Attributes
ACN	690295
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	690295
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

10 mi south of ZZZ on downwind for runway 12R; #2 or #3 for approach; the forward cargo ECAM came on along with the master warning. The bell was silenced and the first officer who was the PF took the radios and declared an emergency. The captain (PNF) ran the ECAM which fired the agent 1. Captain then called to the chief purser and told her about the potential cargo fire and do a cabin advisory. Notify the captain if any smell or sight of smoke in the cabin. The first officer continued to fly the downwind and base just outside the FAF. Captain called for the crash fire rescue equipment to be ready upon touchdown to check and/or follow the aircraft. On final (about 1000 ft) the fire indication went out. Landing was normal and captain decided to go to the gate and use the truck stairs on both 1L and 2L to 'evacuate/evacuation' the passenger with the fire department following. After all the passenger were off the plane a call to maintenance control was made and then the cargo doors were opened and the bags offloaded to look for any cause. A debrief with flight attendants made after things settled down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW ON APCH RECEIVE FORWARD CARGO ECAM MESSAGE; DECLARED EMER AND LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Narrative: 10 MI S OF ZZZ ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 12R; #2 OR #3 FOR APCH; THE FORWARD CARGO ECAM CAME ON ALONG WITH THE MASTER WARNING. THE BELL WAS SILENCED AND THE FO WHO WAS THE PF TOOK THE RADIOS AND DECLARED AN EMER. THE CAPT (PNF) RAN THE ECAM WHICH FIRED THE AGENT 1. CAPT THEN CALLED TO THE CHIEF PURSER AND TOLD HER ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CARGO FIRE AND DO A CABIN ADVISORY. NOTIFY THE CAPT IF ANY SMELL OR SIGHT OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN. THE FO CONTINUED TO FLY THE DOWNWIND AND BASE JUST OUTSIDE THE FAF. CAPT CALLED FOR THE CFR TO BE READY UPON TOUCHDOWN TO CHK AND/OR FOLLOW THE ACFT. ON FINAL (ABOUT 1000 FT) THE FIRE INDICATION WENT OUT. LNDG WAS NORMAL AND CAPT DECIDED TO GO TO THE GATE AND USE THE TRUCK STAIRS ON BOTH 1L AND 2L TO 'EVAC' THE PAX WITH THE FIRE DEPT FOLLOWING. AFTER ALL THE PAX WERE OFF THE PLANE A CALL TO MAINT CTL WAS MADE AND THEN THE CARGO DOORS WERE OPENED AND THE BAGS OFFLOADED TO LOOK FOR ANY CAUSE. A DEBRIEF WITH FLT ATTENDANTS MADE AFTER THINGS SETTLED DOWN.

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.

An A320 flight crew on approach receive forward cargo ECAM message; declared emergency and land without incident.