AP News, December 5th, 2007
Evidence indicates laptop batteries caused a spectacular cargo plane fire at Philadelphia International Airport last year, federal safety investigators said Tuesday, but they said it's not certain.
Based on the fire and other evidence, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that lithium batteries — used in laptops and cell phones — are a potential fire hazard for cargo aircraft.
"This has been kind of a wake-up call," said NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker. He noted that more consumer education may be needed about the proper handling of lithium batteries.
The three crew members on the UPS cargo plane jumped to safety on the tarmac and were treated for minor injuries after the aircraft made an emergency landing around midnight on Feb. 7, 2006. The airplane and most of the cargo were destroyed by the fire, which started as the plane approached Philadelphia.
The blaze was one of several in recent years in which lithium batteries caught fire on aircraft. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, sometimes called "secondary" lithium batteries, and nonrechargeable, or "primary" lithium batteries, can present fire hazards because of the heat they generate when they are damaged or suffer a short circuit.
Twelve fires involving batteries were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration before the Philadelphia fire, and 15 others have been reported since then, NTSB investigator Crystal Thomas told the board. But the NTSB said too many incidents are exempt from reporting requirements and better data is needed.
The board said cargo operators should transport the batteries in well-marked fire resistant containers that are accessible to the flight crew in case of an onboard fire.
"Flight crews on cargo only aircraft remain at risk from in-flight fires involving both primary and secondary lithium batteries," the NTSB said.
The NTSB's recommendations are not binding, and it does not have the authority to force other government agencies to follow its decisions.
George Kerchner, executive director of the Portable Rechargeable Battery Association, said many of the NTSB's concerns are already being addressed at the international level. He also said there is also heightened awareness among carriers and manufacturers about the need to properly package batteries to prevent fires.
In the past two years, defective laptop batteries have been fingered as potential fire hazards. Thomas noted that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled millions of laptop batteries because they could catch fire.
In the Philadelphia case, investigators said destruction from the blaze made it difficult to determine a definitive cause, but other hazardous materials were ruled out. The NTSB also noted that the blaze appeared to have started in containers that contained laptop batteries.
The crew declared an emergency on approach into Philadelphia. Fire and rescue crews met the four-engine jet, a DC-8 that originated in Atlanta, and spent four hours trying to control the fire.
The NTSB determined that the airport's rescue and firefighting personnel were unfamiliar with the aircraft door, and that hurt their ability to get to the fire. The board also said some emergency personnel who responded were inadequately trained on the use of a key piece of firefighting equipment.
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On the Net:
National Transportation Safety Board: http://www.ntsb.gov
Federal Aviation Administration: http://faa.gov
