What happened
On a recent flight departing from Laguna del Sauce International Airport (SULS), a Piper PA60-602P, registration CX-RHS, encountered an in-flight emergency. The aircraft, carrying five occupants, departed from SULS bound for San Fernando (SADF) at approximately 17:10 local time. Shortly after reaching an altitude of 300 feet, the crew observed and heard the activation of the right engine fire alarm.
In response to the alarm, the crew performed emergency procedures to address the perceived fire. The aircraft was subsequently brought to a landing at the destination using only one engine. During the landing, inspection of the aircraft revealed soot on both sides of the right flap, along with residue from the fire extinguishing agent used during the event.
The investigation
The CIAIA conducted an inspection of the aircraft's right engine to determine the source of the fire indication. The investigation focused on identifying whether an actual combustion event had occurred or if the alarm was triggered by a mechanical or system failure.
Findings
- The inspection of the engine revealed no evidence of an actual fire.
- The investigation established that the fire alarm was a false activation caused by oil residue from the air conditioning system coming into contact with engine components.
- Under national and international aviation regulations, the event was classified as an incident, rather than an accident or a serious incident.