What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During cruise, aircraft aft cargo compartment fire indication illuminated in the cockpit. The captain stated they executed the "cargo fire" quick reference handbook (qrh) checklist. The indication light went out. The flight crew declared an emergency and diverted to El Paso, Texas (elp). The flight landed without further issue. During taxi, however, the same cargo bay fire warning indication illuminated again. Company reports and airport video surveillance reveal the aircraft stopped on a taxiway and evacuated passengers and flightcrew out the aircraft's right-one [R1] emergency exit and slide. Airport operations towed the aircraft to a military ramp and transported the crew and passengers away from the site.
Additional information provided by the carrier:
Cabin crew interviews revealed confusion communicated with the cockpit.
- The flight attendants stated during arrival the cockpit "chimed" the cabin only once instead of the chimes for emergencies.
- The cockpit briefings for both the diversion and the evacuation did "not inform them of the issue/problem." "They needed more info."
As the FAA filed it
DURING CRUISE, AIRCRAFT AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT FIRE INDICATION ILLUMINATED IN THE COCKPIT. THE CAPTAIN STATED THEY EXECUTED THE "CARGO FIRE" QUICK REFERENCE HANDBOOK (QRH) CHECKLIST. THE INDICATION LIGHT WENT OUT. THE FLIGHT CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERTED TO EL PASO, TEXAS (ELP). THE FLIGHT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE. DURING TAXI, HOWEVER, THE SAME CARGO BAY FIRE WARNING INDICATION ILLUMINATED AGAIN. COMPANY REPORTS AND AIRPORT VIDEO SURVEILLANCE REVEAL THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED ON A TAXIWAY AND EVACUATED PASSENGERS AND FLIGHTCREW OUT THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT-ONE [R1] EMERGENCY EXIT AND SLIDE. AIRPORT OPERATIONS TOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO A MILITARY RAMP AND TRANSPORTED THE CREW AND PASSENGERS AWAY FROM THE SITE.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CARRIER:
CABIN CREW INTERVIEWS REVEALED CONFUSION COMMUNICATED WITH THE COCKPIT.
- THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS STATED DURING ARRIVAL THE COCKPIT "CHIMED" THE CABIN ONLY ONCE INSTEAD OF THE CHIMES FOR EMERGENCIES.
- THE COCKPIT BRIEFINGS FOR BOTH THE DIVERSION AND THE EVACUATION DID "NOT INFORM THEM OF THE ISSUE/PROBLEM." "THEY NEEDED MORE INFO."
Other reports on N624XA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.