Delta 737-900 Atlanta(KATL) January 15, 2016

[airman1900]

From:

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/aircarrier_info/media/battery_incident_chart.pdf

As DL flight 1961 from Minneapolis, MN-Atlanta, GA arrived at the gate in Atlanta, a flight attendant notified the captain that they had smoke in the cabin. The captain opened the cockpit door and confirmed heavy smoke in the cabin. The passengers were told to continue deplaning out of the boarding door. After a few minutes, the captain observed that the smoke had dissipated and he was informed that passengers had opened the over wing exits and were standing on the wings. ...

[KRviator]

Notice the one a couple ofpages down?

After landing in Houston, TX (KIAH), Mesa flight 4001 was being unloaded when a ramp agent observed smoke coming from a checked bag in the forward cargo bin. The agent removed the bag from the loading belt and sprayed it with a fire extinguisher. The IAH fire department responded and took control of the bag. The bag contained professional camera equipment with lithium-ion batteries. According to preliminary information the camera bag was initially brought aboard as a carry-on, but was allegedly checked at
the gate because the flight attendant advised that there was no room in the passenger cabin. Preliminary reports also indicate that the passenger made the flight attendant aware of the contents of the bag.
So here's a bloke that's done the right thing, no batteries in checked baggage, and the FA's made the decision to stow them downstairs? Would've made more sense to get someone's bag that didn't contain batteries and park it in the hold instead, methinks...

[Airbubba]

Continuing the Delta 1961 narrative from the chart you posted:

The ramp personnel assisted several passengers off of the wings while other passengers returned to the cabin and exited the boarding door. During the deplaning, it was determined that a passenger bag in an overhead bin at row 13 was on fire. Flight attendants used a halon and a water fire extinguisher in the bin and the fire extinguished. Aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) personnel arrived and inspected the aircraft and confirmed that the fire was out. Law enforcement met the aircraft and examined the contents of the bag, which contained two laptops, a projector, and an extension cord. Additionally, a small plastic lighter was found in the overhead bin; the lighter was observed to be melted. Law enforcement released the passenger bag and contents to Delta and it will be secured in quarantine. At this time, injuries have been reported, but the specifics are unknown

Thanks for posting this battery hazmat chart, there are certainly some recurring themes in the incidents! :eek:

I'd sure not hesitate to open an overwing exit as a pax if we had heavy cabin smoke on the ground. :ok:

[Jonno_aus]

What if the bag was in the hold and it catches fire while the aircraft is halfway over the Pacific? :confused:

[peekay4]

What if the bag was in the hold and it catches fire while the aircraft is halfway over the Pacific?
ETOPS aircraft are required to have fire suppression systems to cover the longest potential diversion.

Fire from a single laptop or camera battery is unlikely to overwhelm the cargo fire suppression system.

The concern is more about commercial cargo, e.g., a pallet containing 128 laptops; a bulk shipment of 5,000 lithium battery cells, etc.

[wanabee777]

What if the bag was in the hold and it catches fire while the aircraft is halfway over the Pacific? :confused:
It's only matter of time before we're going to find out.

A cargo bin fire, when they're 3 hrs or more from a suitable alternate, is not going to be a pleasant experience for the flight crew.

Murphey's law will ensure that the diversion runway will be short and the weather will be crap at night.

[Machinbird]

There are new battery materials being developed that could be used in the Li-ION batteries to prevent thermal runaway. They act to shut down the battery circuit when the temperature gets too high and restart it when it cools.Plastics Today (http://www.plasticstoday.com/articles/pe-based-film-prevents-lithium-ion-batteries-overheating-20160118a?cid=nl.x.plas08.edt.aud.plas2day.20160122)

[lomapaseo]

On a very full flight the other day and as they ran out of overhead space the cabin attendant told the FF that because a second carry on would not fit under the seat that it had to go in the hold. He quickly replied that it had camera equipment with batteries and continued to jam it in the overhead.

those in the know get to use overhead space even after boarding late

there was no way with jammed aisles of boarding passengers to sort out each piece of baggage they are storing once they have boarded