Investigation Summary
The fire occurred during a 20-minute departure delay while the aircraft was stationary. According to witness accounts, a crackling sound was followed by black smoke emanating from an overhead bin near the rear left side of the cabin. Crew members initially attempted to combat the fire with extinguishers, but the blaze intensified rapidly, spreading through the empennage and the upper fuselage. During the evacuation, one emergency slide was deployed by a passenger before crew could initiate the formal protocol. The fire was so intense that it burned large holes through the roof of the fuselage, though firefighters managed to extinguish the flames before they reached the wings, which contained approximately 15,876 kg of fuel. The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) recovered the flight recorders and identified burn marks on battery remnants, confirming the source of ignition as a lithium-ion power bank.
Final Conclusions
The investigation is ongoing, led by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) with assistance from the French BEA. The ARAIB released a preliminary report (AAR 2502) on February 27, 2025. Interim findings published on March 14, 2025, indicate the fire was likely caused by the breakdown of insulation inside a portable power bank battery stored in an overhead luggage compartment, leading to thermal runaway.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Had 2,795 hours as captain on type.
First Officer
Systems & Failure Modes
Lithium-ion Battery
A portable power bank stored in a carry-on bag suffered an internal insulation breakdown, leading to thermal runaway and ignition.
Emergency Evacuation Slides
Inflatable slides were deployed to evacuate 169 passengers and 7 crew members; one slide was reportedly opened by a passenger.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a 17-year-old Airbus A321 (MSN 3297) that had previously served with Asiana Airlines.
- 02All 176 occupants survived; seven injuries were reported in total.
- 03Three elderly passengers sustained serious injuries (back and coccyx pain) during the evacuation.
- 04Four crew members suffered minor injuries, specifically chest discomfort due to smoke inhalation.
- 05The aircraft was declared a total loss due to severe structural damage to the upper fuselage roof.
- 06Investigators recovered a lithium-ion battery with distinct burn marks from the origin point of the fire.
- 07The captain had 6,552 total flight hours, with 5,510 hours on the Airbus A321 type.
Safety Actions & Advisories
MLIT Battery Ban
Effective March 1, 2025, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport banned the storage of portable battery banks and e-cigarettes in overhead compartments.
Charging Restriction
Passengers are prohibited from charging power banks or electronic cigarettes using USB ports installed on airplane seats.
Quantity Limitation
Regulators limited the maximum number of power banks allowed to be carried by a single passenger to five.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Evacuation Protocol Delay
Reference ↗Passengers alleged that crew members initially told them to remain seated while attempting to fight the fire with extinguishers, rather than ordering an immediate evacuation.