Post-Crash Fires
Post-Crash Fires
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Definition
Post-crash fires are fires which occur after an aircraft has crash landed or has impacted obstacles or other aircraft during ground movement, runway incursion, or runway excursion.
Description
In the event of an impact with the ground or an obstacle that results in structural damage to an aircraft, a fuel-fed fire can start if fuel comes into contact with ignition sources. Equally, if flammable material, carried as dangerous goods on a civil aircraft or as cargo by a military aircraft, is damaged or the containment compromised, it may ignite as a consequence of impact, contact with hot surfaces or, in the case of spillage of unstable chemicals, the atmosphere.
Fire can spread quickly to the fuselage and through the cabin generating heat, smoke, and toxic decomposition products. If the temperature of trapped smoke and gasses reaches the auto-ignition temperature, flashover will occur and an aircraft fuselage can be rapidly engulfed by flames.
Effects
Depending upon the severity of the crash and any resulting fire, the effect on the aircraft can vary from minor damage to total hull loss. Similarly, the potential casualty consequence of a crash/fire event ranges from no injuries to the loss of life of all on board. Collateral damage and casualties are possible dependent upon the location of the crash.
For aircraft with a maximum certified takeoff weight of 5700 kilograms or less, post-impact fire contributes significantly to injuries and fatalities in accidents that are otherwise potentially survivable.
Contributing Factors
- Large amounts of fuel can be carried by modern aircraft, and an aircraft crash has the potential to rupture the fuel tanks. Should the spilling fuel be exposed to a spark or open flame a fire may occur. This is particularly true of fuels with low flashpoints such as AVGAS. While jet fuels have a higher flashpoint and are less susceptible to sparks, exposing them to operating engines or to hot engine components may raise the temperature of the fuel to its auto-ignition point and a fire will result.
- Structural damage may hinder the evacuation. For example, the occupants may not be able to open some or all of the exit doors due to deformation.
- Occupant injuries may prevent people from leaving the aircraft.
- Human behaviour (e.g. panic, attempts to retrieve cabin baggage, etc.) may slow down the evacuation process and lead to more injuries and fatalities.
Defences
- Aircraft Design. Aircraft structures and fuel systems can be designed to minimise the quantity of fuel spillage
- Fuel - Virtually all large passenger aircraft burn jet fuel and not AVGAS. The much higher flashpoint of jet fuel reduces the potential for a post-crash fire.
Solutions
- Preparation of the aircraft - where the crash landing is anticipated, for example if an off-field landing is necessary or the aircraft has a landing gear malfunction, then there are several things that can be done to reduce the probability and severity of a fire:
- Dump Fuel - if time and aircraft design allow, dump to reduce the amount of fuel and improve the handling of the aircraft. For aircraft not fitted with fuel dump capability, the aircraft can loiter in the vicinity of the landing airfield to burn gas. Note that, in the case of an onboard fire, smoke, or fumes, any delay to landing the aircraft, inclusive of dumping fuel, should not be considered.
- Isolate fuel systems - close crossfeed valves.
- Cabin - Prepare the cabin for emergency landing.
- Cargo - Jettison flammable cargo if possible and practical.
- Aircraft Evacuation - Expeditious emergency evacuation of the aircraft will minimise the loss of life in the event of a post crash fire. Consequently, robust training of the cabin crew in evacuation procedures is essential.
- Engine Shutdown & Aircraft Systems - To minimize the potential for injury during the evacuation, the flight deck crew will take all necessary actions to shut down and, using fire handles, condition levers, or fire push button (depending on aircraft type) isolate the aircraft engines. Depending upon the degree of damage to the aircraft, this may not always be possible.
- Rescue and Fire Fighting Services - Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (RFFS) are instrumental in saving lives and minimizing the damage from a post-crash fire. If the crash occurs within the airfield boundaries, the initial RFFS response units will be on site within a very short period of time; often less than a minute. Response to an off-airfield crash may take considerably longer due to the time it may take to locate the crash and to the accessibility of crash site.
Accidents and Incidents
A selection of incidents from the SKYbrary database related to Post Crash Fire:
On 4 November 2025, the flight crew of a Boeing MD-11F departing Louisville lost control of their aircraft after the left engine and pylon separated from the aircraft shortly after it rotated for takeoff. Fire ignited in both the detached engine and the left wing, the aircraft failed to gain height, and the left main landing gear impacted structures close to the airport perimeter before it crashed into buildings approximately 1,000 metres beyond it and was destroyed by fire. Pending progress with the Investigation, the aircraft operator has grounded its MD-11F fleet. FAA has issued related emergency Airworthiness Directives grounding MD-11s, MD-11Fs, and DC-10s until specified inspections and corrective actions have been performed.
On 17 February 2025 a Mitsubishi (formerly Bombardier) CRJ-900LR was on final approach to Toronto International and touched down at a high rate of descent on the right main landing gear, which collapsed inwards. This caused the right wing to break from the fuselage, which then rolled inverted, detaching the tailplane. The fuselage slid for some distance before stopping, complicating the evacuation. A fuel-fed fire immediately ignited around the right wing/fuselage attachment point but all 80 occupants escaped, almost all using just two exits. There were only two serious injuries and 19 minor injuries.
On 2 January 2024, an Airbus A350-900 collided with a Bombardier DHC8-300 almost immediately after the A350 made a night touchdown in good visibility at Tokyo Haneda. The DHC8 had entered the runway for departure without clearance. Both aircraft caught fire. The DHC8 was destroyed and five of the six occupants died. The A350 then veered off the runway and stopped. All 379 occupants evacuated the A350 prior to its complete destruction by fire. A tower visual-only runway incursion warning was unnoticed for over a minute, and stop bar lighting was out of service for upgrading.
On 12 May 2022, an Airbus A319 about to become airborne at Chongqing veered off the side of the runway at high speed following an inadvertent and unintended rudder input by the non-flying pilot when distracted by unexpected movement of a loose object. Continuation over rough ground across an open ditch resulted in detachment of both engines and both main landing gear assemblies and a resulting fire, which impeded the emergency evacuation. The severe fire and impact damage to the aircraft rendered it a hull loss but the evacuation was completed with only a few minor injuries.
On 17 August 2023, a privately operated Hawker Beechcraft 390 Premier 1 on final approach to Subang departed controlled flight in benign weather conditions and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and post crash fire, and the eight occupants and two persons on the ground were killed. Control of the aircraft was lost after the aircraft lift dump spoilers were inadvertently deployed. The context for this inappropriate action was found to have been deviations from standard operating procedures, inadequate pilot training, regulatory grey areas, and deficiencies in communication and decision-making between the two pilots during the flight.
Further Reading
- Safety issues investigation report SII A05-01 Post-impact fires resulting from small-aircraft accidents, TSB Canada, 2006
- CAP 699 - Framework for the competence of rescue and fire fighting service (RFFS) personnel, January 2017
- Aviation Accident Checklist, by ATSB, 7th edition, June 2017
- Hazards at Aviation Accident Sites - Guidance for Police and Emergency Personnel, by ATSB, 7th edition, June 2017
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