A fire that destroyed an Air Busan plane in January has prompted a closer examination of lithium-ion battery safety.
A faulty power bank was the likely cause of the blaze that engulfed the plane at South Korea’s Gimhae International Airport, according to interim investigation results released on Friday by the country’s transport ministry.
The fire started in the Air Busan A321 plane’s overhead luggage compartment prompting all 176 passengers on board to evacuate.
The flames burnt half of the main body of the aircraft and injured seven people.
Investigators found scorch marks on the debris of a power bank where the fire originated, suggesting that the insulation inside the battery had broken down, leading to the fire.
Following the incident, airlines are tightening regulations.
Lithium-ion cells from old laptop battery packs. (Reuters: Temilade Adelaja)
How can a battery pack cause a fire?
Lithium-ion batteries in devices such as laptops, mobile phones, electronic cigarettes and power banks are well known hazards in aviation.
These batteries can overheat, catch fire, or release extreme heat if they are damaged, overcharged, or suffer faults from manufacturing defects.
The increasing number of lithium-ion batteries being carried on planes has led to heightened concerns over their safety.
The top US aviation body has reported an increase in incidents involving overheating lithium-ion batteries.
Last year, three incidents every two weeks of overheating lithium-ion batteries on planes were recorded globally by the US Federal Aviation Administration, compared to just under one a week in 2018.
Airlines around the world have banned power banks from checked luggage for years due to safety concerns, which relate to the lithium-ion batteries inside the devices.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in devices such as laptops, mobile phones, electronic cigarettes and power banks. (Reuters: Temilade Adelaja)
What you need to know about rule changes:
From March 1, South Korea changed the rules for its airlines on carrying batteries on flights.
The changes included passengers having to keep power banks and e-cigarettes with them rather than in overhead lockers, and not charging devices on board.
Other airlines have followed suit by tightening their own policies on the use of portable power banks.
It means passengers will not be allowed to use the banks to charge their devices, nor charge the power banks using onboard USB ports.
Airlines that have announced these restrictions include:
- Singapore Airlines
- Scoot
- Thai Airways
- EVA Air
- China Airlines
Singapore Airlines is one of the latest to ban passengers from using power banks on flights. (Reuters: Athit Perawongmetha)
How to monitor your device
Many airlines now advise passengers to look for visual signs of battery deterioration.
“When lithium-ion batteries start to deteriorate, they often expand, which is a key indicator that the battery should not be used anymore,” explained the University of New South Wales’ Sonya Brown.
Travellers won’t be able to use portable batteries or charge them on more flights as airlines change their rules. (Pexels: Steve Johnson)
Ms Brown, a senior lecturer in aerospace design, emphasised that power banks must be carried in hand luggage where they can be monitored.
“Having them with people waiting to be detected sooner is safer,” she said.
“Power banks are becoming more common worldwide, and with the increasing use of these devices, there’s a higher chance of fire hazards.”
Experts caution that as the use of lithium-ion batteries increases, further changes to flight regulations may be necessary.
What’s next for the South Korean investigation?
The findings released on Friday were the result of an interim investigation into the Air Busan incident with a final report due within a year.
ABC/wires