NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-99-081
Recommendation
THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION: PENDING COMPLETION OF YOUR EVALUATION OF THE FIRE HAZARDS POSED BY LITHIUM BATTERIES IN AN AIR TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENT, PROHIBIT THE TRANSPORTATION OF LITHIUM BATTERIES ON PASSENGER-CARRYING AIRCRAFT.
Safety Issue and Context
ON 4/28/99, A FIRE DESTROYED FREIGHT, INCLUDING LITHIUM BATTERIES, ON TWO AIRCRAFT CARGO PALLETS AT THE NORTHWEST AIRLINES CARGO FACILITY AT LOS ANGELES INT'L. AIRPORT. THE PALLETS HAD BEEN TAKEN OFF AN INBOUND PASSENGER-CARRYING FLIGHT FROM OSAKA, JAPAN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A BOEING 747, OPERATED BY NORTHWEST AIRLINES AS FLIGHT 0026. THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD'S INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT REVEALED THAT LITHIUM BATTERIES LIKELY PRESENT A SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD TO AIR TRANSPORTATION REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
CURRENTLY, LITHIUM BATTERIES OF THE TYPE INVOLVED IN THE APRIL 28 FIRE CAN BE TRANSPORTED ON BOTH PASSENGER-CARRYING AND CARGO-ONLY AIRCRAFT BUT ARE NOT CLASSIFIED AS A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL REQUIRING APPROPRIATE IDENTIFICATION, MARKING, LABELING, AND TESTING.
Response History
June 10, 2002 · Recipient Response · RSPA
Letter Mail Controlled 06/20/2002 3:13:33 PM MC# 2020614-- We recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled "Hazardous Materials: Transportation of Lithium Batteries." A copy of the NPRM is enclosed. In the NPRM, we propose changes to test methods for lithium batteries; revisions to exceptions for small batteries, including new marking requirements; elimination of certain exceptions for larger batteries; and other modifications.
These proposed changes are intended to enhance the safe transportation of lithium batteries and harmonize our domestic requirements with changes recently made to international transportation standards in the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. We are continuing to reevaluate the hazards posed by lithium batteries in transportation. We are collecting information from lithium battery manufacturers, shippers, and Federal agencies with extensive experience in testing and use of lithium batteries. When we complete our evaluation, we will initiate any additional actions necessary to assure that lithium batteries are transported safely.
We will keep you informed of our progress.
June 13, 2001 · NTSB Correspondence · RSPA
The Safety Board notes that although publishing the Advisory Notice is a commendable activity, it does not address the intent of these recommendations. In its March 29, 2000, letter to the Safety Board, RSPA stated that it could not justify an immediate prohibition on the transportation of lithium batteries on passenger-carrying aircraft, nor could it justify the immediate imposition of a requirement to mark and label packages containing lithium batteries. In its June 27, 2000, response to RSPA, the Board stated that it was disappointed with RSPA's response and that the possibility of an in-flight fire caused by damaged lithium batteries is unacceptable.
Because of the circumstances of the LAX incident, the evidence cited in the safety recommendation letter that aircraft pallets containing large quantities of batteries may be unusually susceptible to overturning, and the concern that lithium batteries damaged during handling and placed in a cargo compartment may result in an in-flight fire, the Board continues to believe that lithium batteries should not be transported by passenger-carrying aircraft. RSPA has not responded to the concerns expressed in the Board's June 27, 2000, letter, nor has it indicated that it is taking action in response to Safety Recommendation A-99-81.
Therefore, Safety Recommendation A-99-81 is classified "Closed-Unacceptable Action." If RSPA takes the recommended action to prohibit the transportation of lithium batteries on passenger-carrying aircraft and notifies the Safety Board of its action, the Board will consider reclassifying Safety Recommendations A-99-81 and -83.
October 24, 2000 · Recipient Response · RSPA
Letter Mail Controlled 10/30/2000 1:38:06 PM MC# 2001605 On September 7, 2000 RSPA published an Advisory Notice, a copy of which is enclosed for your information, that: (1) Informed persons of the incident and the potential hazards that shipments of lithium batteries may present while in transportation, (2) Recommended actions to offerors and transporters to ensure the safety of such shipments, (3) Provided information concerning the current requirements for the transportation of lithium batteries,
(4) Informed persons of recommendations that we received from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the transportation of lithium batteries and our response to those recommendations, (5) Informed persons of the actions we have taken to date and plan to take in the future to address the hazards of these batteries, and (6) Provided information concerning initiatives being taken by members of the battery manufacturing and distribution industry to address concerns these batteries. relating to transportation of these batteries.
June 27, 2000 · NTSB Correspondence · RSPA
THE SAFETY BOARD IS DISAPPOINTED THAT RSPA DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE RISK POSED BY SHIPMENT OF LITHIUM BATTERIES IS SUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY A PROHIBITION ON THEIR SHIPMENT BY PASSENGER-CARRYING AIRCRAFT OR A REQUIREMENT TO MARK AND LABEL PACKAGES CONTAINING LITHIUM BATTERIES.
GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE LAX INCIDENT, THE EVIDENCE CITED IN THE RECOMMENDATION LETTER THAT AIRCRAFT PALLETS CONTAINING LARGE QUANTITIES OF BATTERIES MAY BE UNUSUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO OVERTUNING, AND THE CONCERN THAT LITHIUM BATTERIES DAMAGED DURING HANDLING AND PLACED IN A CARGO COMPARTMENT MAY RESULT IN AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE, THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES THAT LITHIUM BATTERIES SHOULD NOT BE EXCEPTED FROM IDENTIFICATION AS A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL WHEN TRANSPORTED BY AIR. THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY IN-FLIGHT FIRE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEREFORE, PENDING THE PROHIBITION ON THE TRANSPORTATION OF LITHIUM BATTERIES ON PASSENGER-CARRYING AIRCRAFT, A-99-81 IS CLASSIFIED "OPEN--UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."
March 29, 2000 · Recipient Response · RSPA
Letter Mail Controlled 04/06/2000 3:33:05 PM MC# 2000498 TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE HAZARDS THAT LITHIUM BATTERIES PRESENT IN TRANSPORTATION, THE UNUSUAL NATURE OF THE LAX INCIDENT, THE NUMBER OF LITHIUM BATTERIES THAT HAVE BEEN TRANSPORTED SAFELY ABOARD PASSENGER-CARRYING AIRCRAFT, AND THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF A BAN - PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE CONSUMER PRODUCTS INDUSTRY - RSPA CANNOT JUSTIFY AN IMMEDIATE PROHIBITION ON THE TRANSPORTATION OF LITHIUM BATTERIES ON PASSENGER-CARRYING AIRCRAFT. FOR THE SAME REASONS, RSPA CANNOT JUSTIFY THE IMMEDIATE IMPOSITION OF A REQUIREMENT TO MARK AND LABEL PACKAGES CONTAINING LITHIUM BATTERIES.
ALTHOUGH THE LAX INCIDENT DOES DEMONSTRATE THAT LITHIUM BATTERIES MAY PRESENT A RISK TO AN AIRCRAFT, RSPA BELIEVES THAT THE RISKS PRESENTED BY LITHIUM BATTERIES CAN BE MITIGATED IF THE BATTERIES ARE APPROPRIATELY PACKAGED AND HANDLED IN TRANSPORTATION, AND THE HAZARDS OF DAMAGED LITHIUM BATTERIES ARE UNDERSTOOD BY CARGO HANDLING PERSONNEL. ACCORDINGLY, RSPA WILL INITIATE ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THE RISK LITHIUM BATTERIES PRESENT IN AIR TRANSPORTATION. FIRST, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF FAA, RSPA WILL DEVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION AIMED AT SHIPPERS AND AIRLINE PERSONNEL ON THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS OF LITHIUM BATTERIES.
THIS INITIATIVE WILL HIGHLIGHT THE HAZARDS THAT LITHIUM BATTERIES PRESENT WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. SECONDLY, BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF OUR EVALUATION, RSPA WILL INITIATE RULEMAKING ACTION AS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE CLASSIFICATION, HAZARD COMMUNICATION, PACKAGING AND OPERATIONAL CONTROLS NEEDED TO MANAGE THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION OF LITHIUM BATTERIES ABOARD AIRCRAFT.