Damaged wires, liquid likely contributed to in-flight entertainment panel smoke, fire on SIA flight

Source: The Straits Times
Author: Chin Hui Shan

SINGAPORE - Transport safety investigators have found that damage to wires and cable insulation, and the presence of liquid in a Singapore Airlines (SIA) in-flight entertainment (IFE) frame, likely contributed to a smoke and fire incident on air about a year ago.

A flight attendant had to use three fire extinguishers on the IFE panel during a flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles on March 27, 2023.

No one was reported injured in the incident.

In a report published on March 12, 2024, the Ministry of Transport's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) said that smoke and fire were seen at an IFE panel on the Narita-Los Angeles flight.

The incident happened at about 11.15am local time (2.15am the next day Singapore time), as the plane was approaching Los Angeles.

The Boeing B777-300ER had 234 people on board at the time.

According to the report, a passenger in seat 48K alerted the cabin crew when he noticed smoke coming out from the IFE panel directly in front of him.

It is noted that before the plane took off at Narita Airport, the passenger had tried to charge his laptop using a USB port on the panel, but unplugged his device after realising it was not charging.

He did not use any of the USB ports for the rest of the flight.

Reacting to the smoke, a flight attendant immediately cut the power supply for all three IFE panels in the same row of seats. Another attendant also alerted the flight crew.

The report said a flight attendant used two fire extinguishers when sparks were seen on the panel.

Meanwhile, the passengers in the two affected rows - 47 and 48 - were moved elsewhere, while a flight attendant stationed himself near the affected panel.

The plane was scheduled to land in Los Angeles at 12.50pm.

The report said that after the aircraft had just touched down on the runway, the same flight attendant had to use a third fire extinguisher after noticing smoke, electrical sparks, and a "lighted flame" coming from the same in-flight panel.

Smoke was also coming from the bottom of the seat where the affected IFE panel was attached. Another flight attendant then turned off the power to all the IFE panels on board the aircraft.