Wants Greater Access, Dissemination Of Information On Safe Transport

The repercussions continue from a February 2006 in-flight fire onboard a United Parcel Service Company (UPS) DC-8 cargo aircraft, strongly believed to have been caused by rechargeable lithium batteries. On Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board issued two new recommendations regarding proper transport of those batteries, which are used in a variety of electronic equipment.

The NTSB made the following recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration:

• In collaboration with air carriers, manufacturers of lithium batteries and electronic devices, air travel associations, and other appropriate government and private organizations, establish a process to ensure wider, highly visible, and continuous dissemination of guidance and information to the air-traveling public, including flight crews, about the safe carriage of secondary (rechargeable) lithium batteries or electronic devices containing these batteries on board passenger aircraft. (A-08-1)
• In collaboration with air carriers, manufacturers of lithium batteries and electronic devices, air travel associations, and other appropriate government and private organizations, establish a process to periodically measure the effectiveness of your efforts to educate the air-traveling public, including flight crews, about the safe carriage of secondary (rechargeable) lithium batteries or electronic devices containing these batteries on board passenger aircraft. (A-08-2)

While noting a definite cause of the UPS fire wasn't determined in its investigation, the NTSB says the presence of a significant quantity of electronic equipment in the containers where the fire most likely originated led the Safety Board to closely examine safety issues involving the transportation of rechargeable lithium batteries on commercial aircraft, including batteries in airline passengers’ laptop computers and other personal electronic devices.

The recommendations are the latest federal action on the transport of lithium batteries onboard aircraft. As ANN reported, the Department of Transportation implemented new safety rules on January 1, stating passengers will no longer be able to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage. The new regulation, designed to reduce the risk of lithium battery fires, will continue to allow lithium batteries in checked baggage if they are installed in electronic devices, or in carry-on baggage if stored in plastic bags.

In December, the NTSB issued a safety recommendation calling for fire-suppression systems to be installed onboard all Part 121 cargo aircraft -- saying such systems may have prevented the DC-8 from catching fire after landing, and burning to the ground.

FMI: Read The Complete Recommendations (.pdf)