ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 212157
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| Date: | Thursday 14 June 2018 |
| Time: | c. 06:45 LT |
| Type: |  Boeing 737-7CT (WL) |
| Owner/operator: | WestJet |
| Registration: | C-GWJT |
| MSN: | 40338/3529 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2010 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 58 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | near Calgary International Airport, AB (YYC/CYYC) -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Calgary International Airport, AB (YYC/CYYC) |
| Vancouver International Airport, BC (YVR/CYVR) | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
WestJet flight WS113 returned to land at Calgary International Airport, Canada after the flight crew received an indication of a cargo hold fire.
The Boeing 737-700 was on a flight from Calgary International Airport (CYYC) to Vancouver International Airport (CYVR), Canada, with 2 flight crew members, 3 cabin crew members, and 53 passengers on board. The aircraft departed from runway 35L at CYYC at approximately 06:39. The captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring.
While the aircraft was climbing through 9000 feet above sea level, at 06:41:10, a lower aft cargo fire warning light illuminated. The flight crew immediately followed the CARGO FIRE procedures published in the company's 737NG Quick Reference Handbook (QRH). The CARGO FIRE DISCH switch was activated, and 1 cargo fire extinguishing bottle was discharged.
At 06:46, the flight crew declared a MAYDAY emergency and initiated a return to CYYC. Ten minutes later, the aircraft landed on runway 35R at CYYC and exited onto Taxiway Delta. After clearing the active runway, the aircraft stopped on the taxiway and was inspected by airport rescue and firefighting (ARFF) services. No visual signs of fire were noted, and no hot spots were detected by infrared camera imaging.
In accordance with the QRH, the flight crew informed ground personnel not to open any cargo doors until all passengers and crew had exited the aircraft. The aircraft was cleared to taxi back to the gate, where the passengers and crew were deplaned. After all passengers were off the aircraft, ARFF and WestJet ground handling personnel opened the lower aft baggage compartment.
One passenger bag, found face-down near the cargo compartment door opening, showed signs of fire damage
The fire damage was isolated to the individual bag. Minor thermal damage was found to the cargo compartment's fire-resistant liner near the bag.
The passenger whose bag caught fire flew frequently for business purposes and was aware of WestJet's policies with respect to restricted items in checked baggage. The passenger packed his bag, a tactical-style nylon backpack, on the evening of 13 June 2018 and inadvertently packed 2 spare lithium-ion batteries for his e-cigarette, in the charger, in the front pocket of the bag. The pocket also contained a dry herb vaporizer, a portable speaker, and USB cables.
On the morning of 14 June 2018, the passenger arrived at the airport and checked his bag in. He took his e-cigarette and 2 other lithium-ion batteries into the passenger cabin, as required by WestJet's policy on e-cigarettes.
The checked bag proceeded through the passenger baggage security screening and was loaded into the aircraft's lower aft baggage compartment, while still containing the 2 spare lithium-ion batteries.
An investigation concluded that 1 battery in the charger experienced a thermal runaway and the interior material of the battery was completely burnt out. The thermal runaway was likely caused by external damage. The investigation could not determine if the damage occurred before the battery arrived at the airport or during baggage handling.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/medias-media/deploiement-deployment/aviation/2018/20180614.asp
https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/vancouver-bound-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-calgary-airport-1.3973412
https://canadanewsmedia.ca/2018/06/14/westjet-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-calgary-airport/
TSB
Images:
Photo: TSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Jun-2018 19:19 | harro | Added |
| 14-Jun-2018 19:41 | harro | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 15-Jun-2018 05:44 | harro | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 24-Jun-2018 15:53 | harro | Updated [Total occupants, Source] |
| 19-Jan-2019 09:03 | harro | Updated [Total occupants, Narrative, Photo, Accident report, ] |
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