Air Busan Flight 391
| Industry | Airline |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Busan , South Korea |
Air Busan Flight 391 was an international passenger service operated by Air Busan, flying from Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, to Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong. On 28 January 2025, while preparing to taxi for departure, the aircraft caught fire. The event resulted in 27 individuals sustaining injuries and necessitated the evacuation of all 176 people on board.
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A321 bearing the registration HL7763. It had been in operation since 2008 and was formerly part of Asiana Airlines’ fleet before being delivered to Air Busan on 1 June 2017.
Passengers and crew
Onboard were 169 passengers, six crew members, and one maintenance engineer. The majority of travelers were heading home for Lunar New Year celebrations and included 22 foreign nationals: 18 Chinese, two Americans, one British, and one Filipino. The captain had accumulated 6,552 flight hours, with 5,510 hours on the Airbus A321 model—2,795 of which were as pilot-in-command. The first officer logged 3,278 total flight hours, including 2,859 on the A321. Both pilots had maintained active flying schedules during the three months prior to the incident.
Accident
At approximately 10:26 p.m. KST, after a delay of about twenty minutes, a fire erupted near the tail section while the plane was preparing to taxi. The flames spread through the empennage and affected nearly half of the fuselage. According to Air Busan, the fire originated close to a rear overhead bin. Passengers reported hearing a "crackling" noise immediately before flames became visible. Some criticized the crew for initially instructing passengers seated near the fire to remain in place while attempting to extinguish it, which delayed evacuation efforts. Others faulted the airline for inadequate response protocols since officials only directed passengers to return home or stay at nearby hotels without providing detailed instructions.
The airline stated that due to time constraints, no formal announcement was made; however, crew members followed established emergency procedures. The captain promptly shut down hydraulic and fuel systems to mitigate further risk. Additionally, crew members prevented passengers from opening the implicated overhead compartment to avoid feeding oxygen to the fire.
All 176 occupants evacuated safely using inflatable slides; one slide was deployed by a passenger independently. Seven individuals sustained minor injuries—four crew members experienced smoke inhalation symptoms, and three elderly passengers reported slight pain. The fire caused perforations along the fuselage roof but was extinguished within an hour by firefighters before reaching fuel tanks containing approximately 35,000 pounds of aviation fuel.
This event represented Air Busan’s first accident since 2013.
Investigation
Following the incident, acting president and prime minister Choi Sang-mok mandated a comprehensive investigation. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) dispatched officials and formed an emergency response unit. Flight data recorders were retrieved promptly, with a team from France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety joining due to the aircraft manufacturer’s origin. Authorities confirmed that removing fuel was unnecessary after conducting safety assessments. A joint inquiry by MLIT and the bureau commenced on 3 February; police and National Forensic Service personnel collected evidence while restricting access inside the fuselage to twelve individuals for safety reasons.
On 7 February, law enforcement conducted a search at Gimhae International Airport to obtain evidence such as surveillance recordings related to the fire.
With suspicions rising that a battery stored in carry-on luggage could have triggered the blaze, South Korean authorities reviewed regulations concerning battery carriage on aircraft. On 13 February 2025, MLIT announced a ban effective from 1 March prohibiting South Korean airlines from placing portable battery packs and e-cigarettes in overhead bins. Additionally, passengers were forbidden from charging devices via USB ports embedded in seats and limited to carrying no more than five power banks per person. Taiwan’s EVA Air implemented comparable restrictions starting on the same date.
A preliminary report released on 27 February indicated that the fire ignited approximately ten minutes after takeoff had been delayed, with evacuation ordered within one minute of detection. On 14 March, investigators concluded that insulation failure inside a power bank battery stored in an overhead compartment was likely responsible for initiating the fire.
See also
- Kolavia Flight 348 – Fire incident on aircraft during taxiing before departure.
- Uni Air Flight 873 – Aircraft fire potentially linked to passenger items.
- Aviastar-TU Flight 6534 – Fire occurrence on aircraft before taxiing.
- China Airlines Flight 120
- Saudia Flight 163
- British Airtours Flight 28M
References