On March 31, 1993, an Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 (registration N426TE) operated by Trans States Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Moline, IL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A passenger discarded a cigarette before leaving a lavatory. The flight attendant discovered smoke from the waste bin and extinguished the fire. The smoke detector did not activate; the maintenance program lacked cleaning procedures.
Incident Overview
A passenger 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.
Post-Incident Inspection
A later check of the smoke detector showed it did not activate when smoke was generated in the lavatory.
Maintenance Program
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 demonstrated a detector could sense smoke.
What happened in the 31 Mar 1993 Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 accident near Moline, IL?
A passenger discarded a cigarette before leaving a lavatory. The flight attendant discovered smoke from the waste bin and extinguished the fire. The smoke detector did not activate; the maintenance program lacked cleaning procedures.
Were there any fatalities in the 31 Mar 1993 Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 31 Mar 1993 involved an Aerospatiale ATR-42-300, registration N426TE, operated by Trans States Airlines, at Moline, IL.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
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…
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