What happened
On January 21, 2002, a SAAB 200 and0 aircraft, registration HB-IYH, operated by Crossair, departed Zurich Airport for Luxembourg. Shortly after takeoff, while the crew was preparing refreshments, a fire broke out inside one of the aircraft's ovens.
Flight attendants noticed an unusual odor in the galley and discovered flames inside the right-hand oven upon opening the door. The crew immediately deactivated the oven by pulling the circuit breaker and notified the flight deck. The pilots declared an emergency and initiated a return to Zurich. During the descent, cabin crew used a fire extinguisher and fire-retardant spray to suppress the flames. The aircraft landed safely at Zurich, and all 24 passengers and 4 crew members were unharmed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the origin of the fire and the state of the galley equipment. Investigators found that the right-hand oven was operating without its removable rear panel. This panel had been removed the previous day by a flight attendant who noticed it was contaminated with melted plastic residue. The panel was set aside for the catering service to clean, but the oven remained in service.
Technical analysis revealed that polyethylene residue, likely from a plastic bag, had adhered to the oven rack. This residue had been heated and melted onto the equipment, creating a highly flammable surface. The absence of the rear panel allowed the heating elements to interact more directly with the contaminated rack.
Findings
- The primary cause of the fire was the ignition of flammable plastic residue located on the oven rack.
- The incident was facilitated by the operation of the oven while essential components were missing.
- Inadequate procedures regarding the cleaning and replacement of sensitive galley components contributed to the risk.
- The oven was left in an operational state despite the removal of the rear panel for cleaning.