| Occurrence Briefs are concise reports that detail the facts surrounding a transport safety occurrence, as received in the initial notification and any follow-up enquiries. They provide an opportunity to share safety messages in the absence of an investigation. |
What happened
On 1 October 2020, at about 0800 Eastern Standard Time, the crew of a Jetstream 32 were preparing to depart from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, on a scheduled passenger flight to Ballina, New South Wales. As the luggage was being loaded onto the aircraft, the captain observed smoke and fire emanating from a piece of baggage. The captain removed the baggage and aerodrome fire services were called to extinguish the fire. The source of the fire was determined to be an e-cigarette and battery pack, which had subsequently ignited.
Safety message
This incident highlights the importance of ensuring that all items taken on board an aircraft do not pose a safety risk to the flight. E-cigarettes can be taken in a passenger’s carry-on luggage, however, cannot be checked in. Spare batteries must also be taken as carry-on luggage only and be individually protected so as to prevent short circuits or by placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch. More information regarding dangerous goods can be found on the CASA website, including the Can I pack that? dangerous goods app for passengers.
About this report
Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.