Airblue A321neo Returns to Lahore After False Aft Cargo Smoke Warning (AP-BOE)

Incident Overview and Flight History On 25 July 2022, Airblue Flight ABQ-412, operated by an Airbus A321neo with registration AP-BOE, departed Allama Iqbal International Airport (AIIAP) in Lahore at 1951 UTC for a scheduled commercial flight to Sharjah International Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft’s flight warning system displayed a “SMOKE AFT CARGO SMOKE” warning. The crew discharged the first cargo fire bottle at 1952 UTC, followed immediately by the second bottle, as indicated by associated system messages. The aircraft then returned to AIIAP and landed safely on runway 36L at 2001 UTC. ## Findings and Investigation Upon arrival, investigators did not observe signs of actual fire, smoke, or heat inside the aft cargo compartment. The report states that no injuries occurred and no damage to the aircraft was recorded. The aircraft carried 8 crew members and 225 passengers, for a total of 233 people on board. The investigation identified a large quantity of inadequately packed animal meat in the cargo compartment. This condition probably increased humidity levels in the aft cargo area, leading to a spurious smoke warning. Six smoke detectors installed in the aft cargo compartment were removed and tested; all passed functional tests, but the report noted that they were dirty and required internal inspection and cleaning. ## Aircraft and Operational Details The aircraft was manufactured in 2020, with serial number 10162, and was equipped with CFM LEAP-1A32 engines. The owner/lessor was GE Capital Aviation Services, and the operator was Airblue. The flight crew consisted of a pilot flying and a pilot monitoring, both holding Air Transport Pilot Licences and valid Class 1 medical certificates. Meteorological data for AIIAP around the time of the incident indicated high humidity levels, reported between 79% and 87%, with no significant weather reported.