An A300 ECAM and CRC aural warning alerted AVIONICS SMOKE together. An emergency was declared and the aircraft returned to land where maintenance determine the warnings were false.
Synopsis
An A300 ECAM and CRC aural warning alerted AVIONICS SMOKE together. An emergency was declared and the aircraft returned to land where maintenance determine the warnings were false.
Narrative
At approximately 300 FT after takeoff; we received an ECAM message of AVIONICS SMOKE and a CRC as well as the AVIONICS SMOKE light illuminated on the overhead panel. We declared an emergency and leveled at 3;000 FT. The Captain ran the appropriate ECAM and QRH checklists and prepared for the approach. When the checklists were complete the Captain took control of the aircraft for the remainder of the flight; and I was the pilot monitoring for the remainder of the flight. We were immediately vectored for an ILS back to the airport for an overweight landing. We never had any actual indication of fire or smoke; no visible smoke or odors were present; but our priority was to land the aircraft as soon as possible per the checklist. ARFF was notified and available upon landing. We had ARFF follow us to the ramp as a precaution. No smoke or fire was evident to them. Mechanics determined that it was an erroneous indication. The indication actually went away and came back several times while the mechanics were in the cockpit after block-in; they confirmed it was a false indication.
Second reporter narrative
I handled setting the CDU for the Air Turn Back; loaded the ILS 04 approach; briefed the approach and took over flying the aircraft. We also quickly ran the overweight landing checklist and advised the Company gateway of our impending return. Time constraints became a factor because approach was giving us priority and vectoring us and all of the checklists to be completed. Even though neither one of us smelled or saw any smoke in the cockpit; our priority was to get the aircraft on the ground in a prompt manner.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.