A320 gets aft cargo smoke warning from ingested ground equipment fumes.

Attributes
ACN	692920
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	692920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam smoke warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were tired and on our fourth leg with an airplane with no APU. The aircraft was hot on the ramp so we began to run a pack at the gate off the air start cart; but then shut the pack off due to ingestion of exhaust fumes from ramp vehicles. We then performed an air cart start and began pushback when we got an aft cargo smoke warning ECAM. We believed this to be from the fumes so we did not discharge the bottles (cargo door was closed). Soon the ECAM went away; but to be cautious we had bos operations bring the jetway back; just in case; and to call for emergency equipment. Also; since there was no present warning; we asked the ramp personnel to open the cargo pit. He reported that there was no fire or heavy smoke; but a strong odor of exhaust. We then had the fire trucks check the pit with thermal equipment and they found nothing. Comfortable in our conclusion of exhaust fumes we closed the pit and pushed back. The flight continued without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 GETS AFT CARGO SMOKE WARNING FROM INGESTED GND EQUIP FUMES.

Narrative: WE WERE TIRED AND ON OUR FOURTH LEG WITH AN AIRPLANE WITH NO APU. THE ACFT WAS HOT ON THE RAMP SO WE BEGAN TO RUN A PACK AT THE GATE OFF THE AIR START CART; BUT THEN SHUT THE PACK OFF DUE TO INGESTION OF EXHAUST FUMES FROM RAMP VEHICLES. WE THEN PERFORMED AN AIR CART START AND BEGAN PUSHBACK WHEN WE GOT AN AFT CARGO SMOKE WARNING ECAM. WE BELIEVED THIS TO BE FROM THE FUMES SO WE DID NOT DISCHARGE THE BOTTLES (CARGO DOOR WAS CLOSED). SOON THE ECAM WENT AWAY; BUT TO BE CAUTIOUS WE HAD BOS OPS BRING THE JETWAY BACK; JUST IN CASE; AND TO CALL FOR EMER EQUIP. ALSO; SINCE THERE WAS NO PRESENT WARNING; WE ASKED THE RAMP PERSONNEL TO OPEN THE CARGO PIT. HE RPTED THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE OR HVY SMOKE; BUT A STRONG ODOR OF EXHAUST. WE THEN HAD THE FIRE TRUCKS CHK THE PIT WITH THERMAL EQUIP AND THEY FOUND NOTHING. COMFORTABLE IN OUR CONCLUSION OF EXHAUST FUMES WE CLOSED THE PIT AND PUSHED BACK. THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.