What happened
American Airlines Flight 132 was loaded with undeclared and improperly marked hazardous materials (HM) packed in a fiber drum. The shipment, sent by Textile Treatments International, contained five gallons of 50% hydrogen peroxide solution, classified as an oxidizer, and 25 pounds of Textreat S-W, a corrosive agent based on sodium orthosilicate. The drum was loaded on its side in the midcargo compartment, which is designated as Class D.
During the flight, the hazardous materials leaked, generating significant heat. Just before landing, smoke entered the passenger cabin. The captain, who had previously reported APU fumes on another flight, was initially skeptical of the smoke reports. After landing, he notified air traffic control of a possible cargo compartment fire and requested a crash fire rescue (CFR) response.
The aircraft was evacuated on the taxiway. Four flight attendants, nine passengers, two crash fire rescue personnel, and three ground personnel suffered smoke inhalation, eye irritation, or minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation revealed that the shipper lacked knowledge about the restrictions and requirements for shipping hazardous materials. The procedures in place were inadequate for detecting undeclared hazardous material shipments. Additionally, the lack of heat and smoke detection equipment, combined with insufficient flight crew communication, resulted in a delay in detecting the in-flight fire and declaring an emergency.
Findings
The inadequate design of the cargo compartment and its lack of fire extinguishing capability reduced the ability to stop or prevent the spread of fire. The primary causal factor was undeclared hazardous materials leaking during flight due to improper shipping practices and insufficient detection systems.