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B737-500 flight crew reports APU fire warning at FL180 with APU not running. Flight crew follows QRH procedures and returns to departure airport where warning is determined to be false.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 738181 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200705 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 18000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 9000 |
| ASRS Report | 738181 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 738179 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas and fire warning other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Passing 18000 ft we received a fire warning bell. Looking down; the APU fire light was illuminated. Following the qrc we pulled the fire handle and the light stayed on. We then discharged the bottle. The APU fire light remained illuminated the entire time. We declared an emergency to return back to ZZZ. Coordinated with the flight attendants and declared a cabin advisory. Tried to talk to dispatch; but could not talk to him on frequency. Communicated with him through ACARS instead. Completed the approach descent checklist and landed. Fire trucks reported no smoke from the APU area and followed us to the gate. Pulling into the gate the fire warning bell went off again. The APU was shut down during initial taxi out and remained off the entire time. Maintenance figures that we had a fire detection problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-500 FLT CREW REPORTS APU FIRE WARNING AT FL180 WITH APU NOT RUNNING. FLT CREW FOLLOWS QRH PROCEDURES AND RETURNS TO DEPARTURE ARPT WHERE WARNING IS DETERMINED TO BE FALSE.
Narrative: PASSING 18000 FT WE RECEIVED A FIRE WARNING BELL. LOOKING DOWN; THE APU FIRE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. FOLLOWING THE QRC WE PULLED THE FIRE HANDLE AND THE LIGHT STAYED ON. WE THEN DISCHARGED THE BOTTLE. THE APU FIRE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED THE ENTIRE TIME. WE DECLARED AN EMER TO RETURN BACK TO ZZZ. COORDINATED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND DECLARED A CABIN ADVISORY. TRIED TO TALK TO DISPATCH; BUT COULD NOT TALK TO HIM ON FREQ. COMMUNICATED WITH HIM THROUGH ACARS INSTEAD. COMPLETED THE APCH DSCNT CHKLIST AND LANDED. FIRE TRUCKS RPTED NO SMOKE FROM THE APU AREA AND FOLLOWED US TO THE GATE. PULLING INTO THE GATE THE FIRE WARNING BELL WENT OFF AGAIN. THE APU WAS SHUT DOWN DURING INITIAL TAXI OUT AND REMAINED OFF THE ENTIRE TIME. MAINT FIGURES THAT WE HAD A FIRE DETECTION PROB.
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.