In-flight fire and explosion on MD-90 at Hualien

No fatalities • Hualien, Taiwan • Landing (descent or approach)

An explosion and subsequent fire occurred in an overhead compartment of an MD-90 during landing, resulting in twenty-eight injuries.

What happened

Following a flight lasting approximately 25 minutes from Taipei, an MD-90 experienced a significant incident upon touchdown. As the aircraft reached the runway, a loud noise erupted from the forward section of the cabin, accompanied by heavy black smoke emerging from a right-side overhead bin. The impact of the event left debris, including charred luggage and insulation, scattered across the runway surface.

While passengers were evacuated from the aircraft quickly, the fire remained active for over thirty minutes before emergency responders could fully suppress it. The incident resulted in twenty-eight injuries among those on board.

Findings

Initial investigations conducted in 1999 suggested that the explosion originated from two bottles of household bleach. However, subsequent legal proceedings in the Hualien District Court reached a different conclusion, determining that the containers actually held gasoline. The court found that the fuel had been placed into plastic bleach bottles and subsequently leaked during the flight. The investigation concluded that the gasoline ignited after causing a short-circuit in a motorbike battery located in a nearby overhead compartment.

Probable cause

The leakage of gasoline from plastic bottles into an overhead compartment led to an explosion when it interacted with a motorbike battery.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1999-08-24 McDonnell Douglas MD-90 accident near Hualien, Taiwan?

An explosion and subsequent fire occurred in an overhead compartment of an MD-90 during landing, resulting in twenty-eight injuries.

Were there any fatalities in the 1999-08-24 McDonnell Douglas MD-90 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1999-08-24 involved a McDonnell Douglas MD-90, registration B-17912, operated by Uni Air, at Hualien, Taiwan.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The leakage of gasoline from plastic bottles into an overhead compartment led to an explosion when it interacted with a motorbike battery.

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