Portable device battery fire

[Thruster88]

- Miscellaneous/other (Fire/smoke, non-impact). NTSB issues the final report into the battery fire event involving a Mooney M20E, N5632Q, that occurred on April 26, 2024, at Hornell Municipal Airport (HTF/KHTF), Hornell, New York:

The pilot intended to depart his home airport for another airport to perform an owner-assisted annual inspection. While loading the airplane with supplies, the pilot placed a portable ADS-B receiver on the top of his airplane. The ADS-B receiver utilized a commercially available portable lithium-ion battery pack for power, and the battery was attached to the receiver via a hook and loop fastening. The receiver and battery pack fell from the top of the airplane onto the ramp which resulted in damage to the receiver and battery pack. The pilot attempted to power up the receiver but noted that the receiver was no longer working; he then placed the receiver and battery pack behind the front seats and underneath an airplane cover. The pilot subsequently taxied and began his runup of the engine, during which the pilot noted smoke coming from behind the front seats. The pilot lifted the airplane cover and saw that a fire had started. The pilot exited the airplane and unsuccessfully attempted to remove the airplane cover, which was on fire. The fire eventually consumed most of the cockpit area (including the battery pack itself) and substantially damaged both wings.

Based on this information, it is likely that the portable lithium-ion battery pack sustained damage to at least one of the battery cells when it was dropped onto the ramp, resulting in thermal runaway of the battery pack and subsequent fire.

- Probable Cause: A cabin fire as a result of a damaged lithium-ion battery pack.

- Report:
https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194155/pdf

- Docket:

NTSB Docket - Docket Management System

DATA.NTSB.GOV

 

 

The Junior GA Reporter

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM

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- Miscellaneous/other (Fire/smoke, non-impact). NTSB issues the final report into the battery fire event involving a Mooney M20E, N5632Q, that occurred on April 26, 2024, at Hornell Municipal Airport...

 

[facthunter]

That Mooney won't go no More. Nev

[Freizeitpilot]

Interesting.

Given the number of portable electronic devices carried in aircraft these days, many powered by external Li battery packs, it’s surprising there are not more incidents.

 

I guess that means they are generally safe, until they’re not.

[Thruster88]

I think the message is damage can lead to thermal runaway. If  the above had happened in flight it would have been very very bad.

[Red]

I wonder was this actually a LiPo battery?

I know from experience that LiPo cells (the flat cells with a metallized plastic film soft outer case are like little fecking incendiary bombs.

I've banged a nail through a small 2ah LiPo cell and the resulting smoke and fire was alarming.

(This was a carefully controlled scientific test of course don't try this at home kids)

 

 

[ClintonB]

John Cadogan (everybody’s favourite internet dude) has just done a video about damaged cells causing fires.

how many times do we drop something battery powered without any thought if it works still.

i do have extreme drop proof cases on iPads and phones, maybe this helps.

i have dropped a lot of tools off jobs at different times, I will be more cautious now