Serious Incident Involving a Tablet on an Airbus A321 Approaching Cairo

Overview and Investigation Authority On 3 September 2014, a serious incident occurred during the approach to Cairo International Airport (HECA) involving an Airbus A321-111 operated by an Austrian air transport company. The incident was reported to the Austrian Federal Aviation Safety Investigation Office (Sicherheitsuntersuchungsstelle des Bundes, Bereich Zivilluftfahrt) on 4 September 2014. The investigation was conducted under EU Regulation 996/2010 and the Austrian Accident Investigation Act. The event state was Egypt, the aircraft manufacturer state was France, and the tablet manufacturer state was the United States. ## Sequence of Events During the descent phase of a scheduled flight from Vienna, a passenger observed significant smoke coming from a tablet that was still in its original packaging. The passenger brought the device to the forward galley, where cabin crew took over. The crew immediately used three Halon fire extinguishers to control the smoke and fire. Once the fire was under control, the tablet was cooled with water, and separated parts were placed in a water-filled container. The aircraft continued its approach and landed normally at Cairo International Airport. No emergency was declared. ## Damage and Injuries No injuries were reported among crew or passengers. The aircraft sustained no damage. The tablet was significantly damaged. ## Device Details The device was an Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi 128GB, Model A1474, manufactured on 22 October 2013 and purchased on 27 August 2014. According to the passenger, the tablet had not been used or charged since purchase and was transported in its original packaging. The device contained a lithium polymer battery with a nominal energy of approximately 27.3 Wh and a nominal voltage of approximately 3.76 V. The manufacturer's specified environmental conditions were 0–35°C, altitudes up to 3,000 meters, and humidity of 5–95%. ## Further Examination After the aircraft reached its parking position, the tablet was screened for explosives in the airport security area, with a negative result. It was then transported to the Austrian safety investigation office and examined together with fire investigators and fire experts. The packaging contents were incomplete: the USB charging cable was missing. The plastic insert in the packaging showed signs of intense heat and was partially fused to the back of the device. The outer packaging showed fire marks on the inside that matched the marks on the device. It appeared possible that the fire originated from inside the device and spread outward. The power adapter in the packaging showed only superficial fire damage. ## Analysis Based on the damage pattern, the fire likely originated inside the device and spread outward. No external mechanical pre-damage was found during visual inspection, but the device was severely damaged during the incident, so possible external mechanical pre-damage could not be excluded. Because the tablet had not been used or charged, overcharging or faulty charging of the lithium polymer battery was not considered likely. Overheating of the battery can result from a short circuit, rapid discharge, or improper charging, leading to a chemical reaction, rapid pressure increase, and release of electrolyte vapors, reaction gases, and particles. Whether a short circuit inside the device caused rapid discharge could not be determined. ## Firefighting Procedures The firefighting method used was consistent with published techniques for devices with lithium accumulators. Halon was used for initial flame suppression, followed by water as the most effective cooling agent. ## Conclusions Based on the visual external examination, the serious incident was highly likely caused by overheating of the tablet's lithium accumulator. The cause of the chemical reaction inside the accumulator could not be definitively determined because the device interior was not subjected to detailed examination. ## Safety Recommendations No safety recommendations were issued.