Occurrence Details
On 25 April 2025, at approximately 10:30 local time (1430 UTC), JetBlue Airways flight JBU1593, an Airbus A320-232 registered N584JB, was en route from Fort Lauderdale International Airport (KFLL) to Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN) in Nassau, Bahamas. The aircraft carried 6 crew and 133 passengers. While flying a southeasterly heading about 50 nautical miles northwest of MYNN, a passenger’s personal power bank charging device (lithium battery powered) experienced a thermal runaway event after being plugged into the aircraft’s charging port near seat 4C. This produced smoke and flames.
Crew Response
The cabin quickly filled with smoke. A cabin crew member notified the pilot in command, who instructed the crew to extinguish the flames. The pilot declared an emergency with Nassau Approach Control, which issued a landing clearance direct to MYNN. The cabin crew extinguished the flames and contained the device by submerging it in water in the garbage bin of the forward lavatory, where it remained for the rest of the flight. The flight crew then followed the operator’s Smoke Removal procedures from the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH). The aircraft landed safely at MYNN with no reports of injuries.
Damage and Analysis
Post-incident inspection revealed damage to the passenger seat frame and carpet. The operator found no malfunctions or failures in the aircraft electrical systems; the event was isolated to the passenger’s power bank, rated at 10000 mAh. The device had USB-A, USB-C, and USB micro cables.
Probable Cause
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) determined the probable cause to be the occurrence of a thermal runaway event of a passenger’s personal charging device that subsequently led to smoke and flames in the cabin.
Safety Recommendation
On 22 October 2025, the AAIA issued a safety recommendation to the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAA-B) to assess and review policies, procedures, and guidance related to the use and storage of lithium batteries and devices powered by lithium batteries on board aircraft, to ensure current mitigation standards are utilized.