Safety authority issues cargo recommendations for lithium batteries
The NTSB also wants to establish maximum loading density requirements that restrict the quantities of lithium batteries and flammable hazardous materials.
Earlier this week the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a safety alert to U.S. and foreign commercial passenger and cargo airlines, urging them to conduct a safety risk assessment to manage the risks associated with transporting lithium batteries as cargo.
The NTSB safety recommendations, addressed to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, are derived from the investigation of the July 28, 2011, in-flight fire and crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 991 in international waters about 80 miles west of Jeju International Airport. The NTSB participated in the investigation, headed by the Republic of Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board.
The NTSB points out that lithium batteries carried as cargo can be:
- A fire and explosion ignition source.
- A source of fuel to an existing fire.
- Subjected to overheating that can create an explosive condition.
“The National Transportation Safety Board urges the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to take action on these safety recommendations to reduce the likelihood and severity of potential cargo fires and to provide additional time for the crew to safely land a cargo aircraft in the event a fire is detected,” said NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart.
PHMSA generally cannot issue regulations or enforce requirements for the safe transportation of lithium cells and batteries that are more restrictive than international regulations. The US Congress has given PHMSA authority to do so if it finds credible evidence of a deficiency in the international regulations that has substantially contributed to the start or spread of an on-board fire.
In its recommendation document the NTSB stated: "The NTSB believes that the circumstances and findings in the Asiana Flight 991 accident constitutes such credible evidence that demonstrates a deficiency in cargo segregation requirements that would permit the HMR to be changed to be more stringent than the current ICAO requirements. Current regulations that allow the loading of packages containing lithium batteries, a potential ignition source, in close proximity to packages of flammable materials and other classes of hazardous materials, and also allows these materials to be stowed on board aircraft in large quantities in a single location constitute an unacceptable risk to the safe transportation of these hazardous materials".
Related articles and links:
www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/RecLetters/A-16-001-002.pdf
News articles:
FAA urges airlines to run lithium battery safety risk assessments
Lithium-ion battery shipments on passenger planes face international ban
Boeing faces calls to re-design lithium-ion batteries
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