Air Busan Flight 391

The aircraft involved was an Airbus A321 registered as HL7763{{Cite news |last=Villamizar |first=Helwing |date=2025-01-28 |title=Air Busan A321 Fire Forces Evacuation in South Korea |url=https://www.airwaysmag.com/new-post/air-busan-a321-fire-evac-south-korea# |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Airways Magazine}} and had been in service since 2008, having previously been operated by Asiana Airlines. It was delivered to Air Busan on 1 June 2017.

There were 169 passengers and 6 crew members aboard the plane,{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=David |date=2025-01-28 |title=Air Busan Airbus A321 Catches Fire, All Crews and Passengers Evacuated |url=https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/01/28/air-busan-airbus-a321-catches-fire/#google_vignette |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Aviation A2Z |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-29 |title=Air Busan flight BX391, which caught fire while preparing to take off at Gimhae International Airpor.. |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/en/society/11228222 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Maeil Business Newspaper |language=en}}{{Unreliable source?|reason=Non–Korean language versions of this website use automatic machine translation; see WP:KO/RS|date=February 2025}} as well as 1 maintenance engineer.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-29 |title=Passenger plane catches fire at South Korean airport. All 176 people on board are evacuated |url=https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-plane-fire-air-busan-d04d3201616bf6cfcd10b2ad4c4b4b9a |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=30 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130070224/https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-plane-fire-air-busan-d04d3201616bf6cfcd10b2ad4c4b4b9a |url-status=live}} Most passengers were travelling for the Lunar New Year holidays. The passengers also included 22 foreign nationals, including 18 Chinese, 2 Americans, 1 British and 1 Filipino. The captain had logged 6,552 flight hours, including 5,510 hours on the Airbus A321, 2,795 of which were as a captain. The first officer had 3,278 flight hours, with 2,859 of them on the Airbus A321. The captain and first officer had flown 168 and 160 hours respectively, in the past 90 days before the accident.{{Cite report |url=https://araib.molit.go.kr/LCMS/DWN.jsp?fold=airboard0201&fileName=%28EN%29+HL7763+Preliminary+Report%28BX391%29.pdf |title=Aviation Accident Preliminary Report – HL7763 (A321-200) of Air Busan Caught Fire on the Ground |author= |date=2025-03-04 |publisher=Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board |access-date=2025-03-05 |archive-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406150339/https://araib.molit.go.kr/LCMS/DWN.jsp?fold=airboard0201&fileName=(EN)+HL7763+Preliminary+Report(BX391).pdf |url-status=live }}{{Reference page|page=4}}

The aircraft was about to taxi following a 20-minute delay when a fire broke out at the tail section at around 10:26 p.m. KST and spread through the empennage and nearly half of its fuselage.{{Cite web |date=31 January 2025 |title=14 airplane fires occurred in past decade, inflicting 200m won damage per case |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10409378 |access-date=31 January 2025 |website=The Korea Times |archive-date=31 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250131092441/https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10409378 |url-status=live }} Air Busan said that the fire was spotted by a crew member on an overhead compartment near the rear left side of the cabin. Some passengers said the fire broke following a "crackling" sound. Another passenger said the crew failed to order the evacuation of passengers near the source of the fire and told them to remain seated while they initially tried to put out the flames using a fire extinguisher, by which time embers had already spread to other parts of the aircraft. Other passengers also accused the airline of not having "a proper protocol or manual in place", as airline officials only told them to go home or to the nearest hotel without other instructions.

The airline said that the crew had no time to make an official announcement to the passengers regarding the fire, but said that it had followed all appropriate procedures, adding that the captain immediately shut down the aircraft's hydraulic and fuel systems to prevent secondary damage after being informed by the crew about the fire. Air Busan also said that its crew had prevented a passenger from opening the affected overhead compartment to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, saying that it would have fed more oxygen to the fire and cause it to intensify.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2025 |title=Passengers criticize Air Busan over fire evacuation response |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/01/281_391238.html |access-date=30 January 2025 |website=The Korea Times}}

All 176 people on board evacuated safely using inflatable slides,{{Cite news |last=Lukiv |first=Jaroslav |date=2025-01-28 |title=South Korea plane fire causes mass evacuation |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9qy122wwyo |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=BBC |language=en-UK |archive-date=29 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129050639/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9qy122wwyo |url-status=live}} including one that was opened by a passenger. Seven minor injuries were reported from the fire; four crew members experienced chest discomfort due to smoke inhalation, while three elderly passengers experienced pain in their tailbones and backs.{{Cite web |date=29 January 2025 |title=No. of injured victims from Busan airplane fire rises to 7, all with minor injuries |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10408402 |access-date=29 January 2025 |website=The Korea Herald |archive-date=30 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130201047/https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10408402 |url-status=live}} The fire generated holes along the length of the fuselage roof.{{Cite web |date=29 January 2025 |title=Passenger plane catches fire in South Korea prompting mass evacuation, three injured |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/28/asia/air-busan-airbus-fire-south-korea-intl-latam/index.html?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc |access-date=29 January 2025 |website=CNN}} Firefighters arrived at the scene at 10:34 p.m. KST. The fire was put out at 11:31 p.m. before it could reach the aircraft's wings, which carried 35,000 pounds of fuel.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2025 |title=Air Busan plane fire raises battery fears |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/01/281_391225.html |access-date=30 January 2025 |website=The Korea Times}}

The fire was the first accident involving Air Busan since 2013.

Acting president and prime minister Choi Sang-mok ordered a thorough investigation into the accident. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) deployed officials to the site and established an emergency response team.{{Cite web |date=29 January 2025 |title=Probe begins into cause of Air Busan fire |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10408401 |access-date=29 January 2025 |website=The Korea Herald |archive-date=29 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129100426/https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10408401 |url-status=live}} The flight data recorders were recovered following the fire, while a team from the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety was also sent to investigate the incident on account of the origins of the aircraft's manufacturer.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2025 |title=(3rd LD) Black boxes retrieved from fire-destroyed Air Busan plane; French team to join probe |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250130002153320 |access-date=30 January 2025 |website=Yonhap News Agency}} Authorities declared that the removal of the aircraft's fuel was not necessary for investigators to search the aircraft following safety checks.{{Cite web |date=31 January 2025 |title=Authorities to begin joint probe of fire-destroyed Air Busan plane early next week |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250131005600315 |access-date=31 January 2025 |website=Yonhap News Agency}} A joint investigation by the ministry and the bureau into the fire began on 3 February, with police and the National Forensic Service also taking samples from inside the aircraft and with only 12 people allowed inside the fuselage due to safety concerns.{{Cite web |date=3 February 2025 |title=Authorities launch joint probe into fire-destroyed Air Busan plane |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250203004800315 |access-date=3 February 2025 |website=Yonhap News Agency}}

On 7 February, police raided Gimhae International Airport as part of efforts to secure evidence, particularly footage from surveillance cameras taken at the time of the fire.{{Cite web |date=7 February 2025 |title=Police raid Gimhae Int'l Airport over Air Busan plane destroyed by fire |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250207005600315 |access-date=7 February 2025 |website=Yonhap News Agency |archive-date=13 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213162039/https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250207005600315 |url-status=live }}

Amid suspicions that the fire was caused by a battery that had been placed inside a carry-on bag in the overhead compartment, the South Korean government was reported to be reviewing procedures on the handling of batteries inside aircraft.{{Cite web |date=2 February 2025 |title=Air Busan fire leads to calls for stricter regulations on batteries |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/281_391364.html |access-date=2 February 2025 |website=The Korea Times |archive-date=14 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214092026/https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/281_391364.html |url-status=live }} On 13 February 2025, the MLIT announced a ban on South Korean airlines from storing portable battery banks and e-cigarettes in overhead storage compartments beginning on 1 March. It also barred passengers from charging power banks or electronic cigarettes using USB ports installed on airplane seats{{Cite web |date=13 February 2025 |title=Police raid Gimhae Int'l Airport over Air Busan plane destroyed by fire |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250213005900320 |access-date=13 February 2025 |website=Yonhap News Agency |archive-date=13 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213162035/https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250213005900320 |url-status=live }} and limited the maximum number of power banks allowed to be carried by a passenger to five.{{Cite news |date=2025-02-28 |title=Passengers required to carry power banks, e-cigarettes on person starting tomorrow |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10431260 |access-date=2025-02-28 |work=The Korea Herald |archive-date=5 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250305014245/https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10431260 |url-status=live }} Taiwan's EVA Air prohibited the use of portable chargers on all its flights, starting from the same date as the South Korean ban.{{Cite news |last=Chiu |first=Christine |date=2025-02-26 |title=Eva Air bans use of portable chargers during flights |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/eva-air-bans-use-of-portable-chargers-during-flights |access-date=2025-02-26 |work=The Straits Times |archive-date=26 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226141902/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/eva-air-bans-use-of-portable-chargers-during-flights |url-status=live }}

The preliminary report into the fire was released on 27 February and found that the fire broke out ten minutes after air traffic controllers ordered the aircraft's takeoff to be delayed, the captain instructing everyone on board to be evacuated one minute after the fire was detected.{{Cite news |date=2025-02-27 |title=Air Busan plane caught fire 10 minutes after takeoff was delayed: report |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/281_393146.html |access-date=2025-02-27 |work=The Korea Times |archive-date=27 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227135702/https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/281_393146.html |url-status=live }} On 14 March, authorities said that the fire was likely caused by insulation breaking down inside a power bank battery stored in an overhead luggage compartment.{{Cite news |date=14 March 2025 |title=Power bank likely caused S Korea plane fire - investigators |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3n25rdr3lo |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=BBC News}}

{{portal|Aviation}}

• Kolavia Flight 348 - Another aircraft that caught fire mid-taxi before takeoff.
• Uni Air Flight 873 - Another aircraft that caught fire possibly from a passenger's belonging.
• China Airlines Flight 120
• Saudia Flight 163
• British Airtours Flight 28M

• [https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/473924 Accident Description] from Aviation Safety Network
• [https://araib.molit.go.kr/LCMS/DWN.jsp?fold=/eaib0401/&fileName=%28EN%29+HL7763+Preliminary+Report%28BX391%29.pdf Preliminary Report] - Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board

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Category:2025 disasters in South Korea

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Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2025

Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A321

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in South Korea

Category:Aircraft fires

Category:Fires in Busan

Category:Gangseo District, Busan