A DC-10 DEPARTS ARPT UNKNOWINGLY WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER #2 ON #2 ENG DISCHARGED. ONCE DISCOVERED FLT CONTINUES ON TO DEST ARPT; A FLT TIME OF OVER 3 HRS. AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS WERE COMPROMISED.
Synopsis
A DC-10 DEPARTS ARPT UNKNOWINGLY WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER #2 ON #2 ENG DISCHARGED. ONCE DISCOVERED FLT CONTINUES ON TO DEST ARPT; A FLT TIME OF OVER 3 HRS. AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS WERE COMPROMISED.
Narrative
ON PUSHBACK FROM GATE AT SEATAC; THE SO RECEIVED A CALL FROM FLT ATTENDANT AT DOOR 4R THAT THEY HEARD A POPPING NOISE. I REQUESTED THE MECHS GIVE THE ACFT A GOOD EXTERNAL INSPECTION AT THE COMPLETION OF PUSHBACK. NOTHING ABNORMAL WAS FOUND ON INSPECTION; HOWEVER; THEY HEARD A POPPING FROM APU ON PUSHBACK -- NORMAL INDICATIONS ON APU IN COCKPIT. DEP WAS QUICK AND CLBOUT NORMAL. ON LEVEL OFF DURING MY COCKPIT SCAN; I NOTICED A #2 ENG FIRE BOTTLE DISCHARGE LIGHT 'ON.' THIS EXPLAINS THE POPPING NOISE HEARD BY FLT ATTENDANTS AND MECHS ON PUSHBACK. DUE TO THE SHORT TAXI; COCKPIT LIGHTING BEING ADJUSTED FOR NIGHTTIME AND COCKPIT WORKLOAD; NO ONE NOTICED THE FIRE BOTTLE DISCHARGE LIGHT 'ON' PRIOR TO TKOF. ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE LIGHT ON THE AFT OVERHEAD PANEL CONTRIBUTED TO CREW MISSING THE LIGHT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 280789: CAPT NOTICED #2 ENG FIRE EXTINGUISHER #2 AGENT LOW LIGHT ILLUMINATED; JUST AFTER LEVEL OFF. EVENT RPTED TO MAINT; UNEVENTFUL FLT TO DTW. AWKWARD POS OF AGENT LOW LIGHTS ON OVERHEAD. CREW COULD HAVE FIRED THE BOTTLE. FIRE HANDLE WAS IN PROPER POS AND APU WHICH SHARES BOTTLE MUST BE SHUT DOWN TO FIRE IT. IT WAS RUNNING.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.