Transport ministry points to charger short circuit as likely cause of Air Busan fire

An inspector observes a location where a fire is believed to have broken out on an Air Busan Airbus 321-200 in late January. [MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT] The Transport Ministry said Friday that an internal short-circuit of a portable charger might have caused a fire on Air Busan Airbus 321-200 after a precise analysis by the National Forensic Service (NFS). On Jan. 28, Air Busan’s flight BX 391, bound for Hong Kong, caught fire while preparing for takeoff at Gimhae International Airport in Busan. All 176 passengers and cabin crew members evacuated. The forensic agency said it detected melted electricals among the debris of the hand-held power bank obtained in the fuselage. Related ArticleAuthorities wrap up initial on-site probe of Air Busan plane destroyed in firePolice raid Gimhae International Airport over Air Busan fireAir Busan bans portable chargers and power banks in overhead luggage after fire at Gimhae Airport Authorities reportedly weighed in on the possibility that the battery pack had short-circuited and eventually sparked a flame, yet specific factors contributing to this theory remained unidentified. In an analysis report, the NFS wrote that observation of the damaged battery pack was insufficient to identify what had triggered the electrical breakdown inside the charger as the charger was severely burned. The authority also noted that fire was “unlikely” caused by the aircraft’s internal system, such as electrical wires and lighting equipment, adding that they did not sight specific signs related to those elements. The fire was suspected to have occurred in the overhead bin above seats in row 30, according to footage filmed by a passenger. The burned battery pack was found on the aircraft floor, nearby seats in row 31, after the flames destroyed the plane’s roof. A debris of burnt portable battery, which was obtained underneath seats on row 31 on the Air Busan's aircraft, is seen. [MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT] On Feb. 3, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, the NFS, a police scientific investigation unit and fire authorities conducted a joint inspection inside the aircraft. Authorities secured the aircraft’s cabling and lighting equipment between seats between rows 28 and 32 as evidence as well as the battery pack. The NFS ran a computed tomography scan and microscopic examination of the collected evidence and equipment. The investigation board under the Transport Ministry said it would continue the probe while weighing on the assumption that the portable battery had caused the fire. “If safety measures are deemed necessary, the ministry will issue safety recommendations to the airline,” the board said. The board also promised to put its resources into identifying a further precise cause of the accident. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, forensic professionals, police personnel and fire department officials conduct a joint inspection of Air Busan's burnt fuselage in Gimhae International Airport in Busan on Feb. 3. [YONHAP] BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]

Transport ministry points to charger short circuit as likely cause of Air Busan fire Published: 14 Mar. 2025, 17:12 LEE SOO-JUNG [email protected] An inspector observes a location where a fire is believed to have broken out on an Air Busan Airbus 321-200 in late January. [MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT] The Transport Ministry said Friday that an internal short-circuit of a portable charger might have caused a fire on Air Busan Airbus 321-200 after a precise analysis by the National Forensic Service (NFS).

On Jan. 28, Air Busan’s flight BX 391, bound for Hong Kong, caught fire while preparing for takeoff at Gimhae International Airport in Busan. All 176 passengers and cabin crew members evacuated.

The forensic agency said it detected melted electricals among the debris of the hand-held power bank obtained in the fuselage. Related Article Authorities wrap up initial on-site probe of Air Busan plane destroyed in fire Police raid Gimhae International Airport over Air Busan fire Air Busan bans portable chargers and power banks in overhead luggage after fire at Gimhae Airport Authorities reportedly weighed in on the possibility that the battery pack had short-circuited and eventually sparked a flame, yet specific factors contributing to this theory remained unidentified. In an analysis report, the NFS wrote that observation of the damaged battery pack was insufficient to identify what had triggered the electrical breakdown inside the charger as the charger was severely burned.

The authority also noted that fire was “unlikely” caused by the aircraft’s internal system, such as electrical wires and lighting equipment, adding that they did not sight specific signs related to those elements. The fire was suspected to have occurred in the overhead bin above seats in row 30, according to footage filmed by a passenger. The burned battery pack was found on the aircraft floor, nearby seats in row 31, after the flames destroyed the plane’s roof.

A debris of burnt portable battery, which was obtained underneath seats on row 31 on the Air Busan's aircraft, is seen. [MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT] On Feb. 3, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, the NFS, a police scientific investigation unit and fire authorities conducted a joint inspection inside the aircraft.

Authorities secured the aircraft’s cabling and lighting equipment between seats between rows 28 and 32 as evidence as well as the battery pack. The NFS ran a computed tomography scan and microscopic examination of the collected evidence and equipment. The investigation board under the Transport Ministry said it would continue the probe while weighing on the assumption that the portable battery had caused the fire.

“If safety measures are deemed necessary, the ministry will issue safety recommendations to the airline,” the board said. The board also promised to put its resources into identifying a further precise cause of the accident. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, forensic professionals, police personnel and fire department officials conduct a joint inspection of Air Busan's burnt fuselage in Gimhae International Airport in Busan on Feb.

3. [YONHAP] BY JUNG SI-NAE [ [email protected] ] var admarutag = admarutag || {} admarutag.cmd = admarutag.

cmd || [] admarutag.cmd.push(function () { admarutag.

pageview('3bf9fc17-6e70-4776-9d65-ca3bb0c17cb7'); });.