Fire Detection System Performance in USAF Aircraft

The report is concerned with the determination of the performance of fire detection systems in USAF aircraft. Data on false fire warnings and aircraft engine nacelle fires were taken from Air Force accidentincident reports. These data included the time period 1965 through 1970 and is restricted to noncombat related accidentsincidents. Analysis of the data showed that false fire warnings are a major problem in the majority of USAF aircraft 83 of all reported alarms are false. These false fire warnings resulted in damage or destruction of aircraft as well as crew injuriesfatalities. In addition, it was found that in approximately 50 of the engine nacelle fires, where the performance of the detection system could be determined, the system did not provide an alarm. It was also found that the fire detection system in a number of aircraft had been partially or totally removed to reduce or eliminate the false fire warning problem. As a consequence the majority of the fires which occurred in these aircraft were not detected.