Serious incident ATR 42-300 N426TE, Wednesday 31 March 1993

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Date:	Wednesday 31 March 1993
Time:	15:00 LT
Type:	ATR 42-300
Owner/operator:	Trans States Airlines
Registration:	N426TE
MSN:	228
Year of manufacture:	1991
Engine model:	P&W PW-120
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 21
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Moline, IL - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	St. Louis, MO (KSTL)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A PASSENGER HAD DISCARDED A CIGARETTE BEFORE LEAVING THE LAVATORY. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT FOUND SMOKE ISSUING FROM THE WASTE BIN AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN THE COCKPIT OF SMOKE OR FIRE. A LATER CHECK OF THE SMOKE DETECTOR SHOWED IT DID NOT ACTIVATE WHEN SMOKE WAS GENERATED IN THE LAVATORY. THE OPERATOR ADHERED TO THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM; THE PROGRAM CONTAINED NO PROCEDURE OR INTERVAL FOR CLEANING SMOKE DETECTORS OR DUCTING. THERE WAS NO OPERATIONAL TEST WHICH DEMOSTRATED A DETECTOR COULD SENSE SMOKE.

Probable Cause: THE PASSENGER'S FAILURE TO EXTINGUISH A CIGARETTE BEFORE PLACING IT INTO THE LAVATORY WASTE BIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WERE: AN INOPERATIVE SMOKE DETECTOR IN THE LAVATORY, THE MANUFACTURER'S INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, AND INADEQUATE REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.

Accident investigation: