Engine Fire

The engine fire drill is the same core sequence wherever it happens — PL, CL, handle, agents with timed pauses — but the phase of flight decides when it starts. This lesson covers the takeoff, in-flight and ground versions, and the conditions that can cause a spurious fire warning.

At a glance

• Earliest shutdown at takeoff400 ft AGL
• Wait before AGENT 110 s
• Wait after AGENT 1 before AGENT 230 s
• Recommended descent (spurious warning prevention)240 kt, clean, TQ above 10 %

ENG FIRE AT TAKEOFF (E70.01)

The captain may shut the engine down before acceleration altitude, but not before 400 ft AGL.

1. Airborne — gear UP.

2. At acceleration altitude — PWR MGT to MCT (disarms ATPCS).

3. At V_FTO — flaps 0 (flaps 15 kept in icing).

4. PL — FI.

5. CL — FTR, then FUEL S.O.

6. FIRE HANDLE — PULL.

7. Fire persists after 10 s — AGENT 1 DISCH.

8. Fire persists 30 s after that — AGENT 2 DISCH.

9. LAND ASAP. Do not restart.

ENG FIRE OR SEVERE MECHANICAL DAMAGE IN FLIGHT (E70.02)

1. PL (affected) — FI.

2. CL — FTR, then FUEL S.O.

3. FIRE HANDLE — PULL.

4. Fire persists after 10 s — AGENT 1 DISCH. The 10 s delay lets the airflow decrease, for better agent efficiency.

5. Fire persists 30 s after AGENT 1 — AGENT 2 DISCH.

6. LAND ASAP; notify ATC; do not restart; single-engine operation.

ENG FIRE OR SEVERE MECHANICAL DAMAGE ON GROUND (E70.03)

1. AIRCRAFT — STOP (PL to GI, reverse as required).

2. BRAKE HANDLE — PARKING.

3. CL 1+2 — FTR, then FUEL S.O.

4. FIRE HANDLE (affected) — PULL.

5. Fire persists — AGENT 1 DISCH, and 30 s later AGENT 2 DISCH.

6. ATC — NOTIFY on VHF 1, the only one on battery.

7. Evacuation — if required.

Spurious ENG FIRE

Reduced nacelle ventilation can cause a spurious ENG FIRE warning, for example in:

• A low-speed steep descent — around 130 kt down to final approach speed.

• Landing configuration set at high altitude.

• PLs held at FI.

ATR recommends a standard 3° to 5° descent from top of descent, clean, at 240 kt IAS, with TQ above 10 %.

Check yourself

• What is the earliest height at which the captain may shut down a burning engine at takeoff?

• Why wait 10 s before discharging AGENT 1 in flight?

• How long after AGENT 1 is AGENT 2 discharged if the fire persists?

• On the ground, which radio is used to notify ATC, and why?

• Name two flight conditions that can cause a spurious ENG FIRE.

Study aid — always fly your aircraft's current FCOM.