Lithium Ion batteries caused fatal crash

[grumpy grizzly]

On September 3, 2010, a UPS 747-400F with a crew of two on a light from Dubai to Germany crashed after experiencing fire in the cargo hold. The ensuing investigation by UAE and NTSB determined that the fire started in the area where 81,000 ion batteries were stored. The heat generated was in excess of 1500 degrees which overwhelmed the aircraft's fire suppression system. In addition the fire breached a cargo liner behind which ran the majority of the aircraft's control systems. The cockpit was filled with smoke which hindered the aircrew's visibility which caused them to miss the airport at Dubai and crash at a secondary airport causing the death of both crewmembers. UPS has instituted safety measures including sensors within the cargo pallets which trip at 1200 degrees and are built to withstand those temps for 4 hours which should allow the crew to find an emergency airport. This was a show last night on "Air Disasters".

 

[entropychaser]

On September 3, 2010, a UPS 747-400F with a crew of two on a light from Dubai to Germany crashed after experiencing fire in the cargo hold. The ensuing investigation by UAE and NTSB determined that the fire started in the area where 81,000 ion batteries were stored. The heat generated was in excess of 1500 degrees which overwhelmed the aircraft's fire suppression system. In addition the fire breached a cargo liner behind which ran the majority of the aircraft's control systems. The cockpit was filled with smoke which hindered the aircrew's visibility which caused them to miss the airport at Dubai and crash at a secondary airport causing the death of both crewmembers. UPS has instituted safety measures including sensors within the cargo pallets which trip at 1200 degrees and are built to withstand those temps for 4 hours which should allow the crew to find an emergency airport. This was a show last night on "Air Disasters".

As a general rule, you don't want anything inside an airplane that can generate enough heat to cause ignition of nearby materials.
See ValuJet Flight 592 crash into the Everglades on 5/11/1996 due to illegally transported oxygen generators in the cargo hold- 110 fatalities.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

As a general rule, you don't want anything inside an airplane that can generate enough heat to cause ignition of nearby materials.
See ValuJet Flight 592 crash into the Everglades on 5/11/1996 due to illegally transported oxygen generators in the cargo hold- 110 fatalities.

When the NTSB started doing tests in a laboratory with these batteries they were shocked to find out the tests reached almost 2000 degrees. Even though they were 50' behind a glass shield they could still feel the heat.