Interagency Aviation Accident Prevention Bulletin 23-01 Hazardous Materials in Aircraft

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Overview

The Interagency Aviation Accident Prevention Bulletin 23-01 Hazardous Materials in Aircraft () is a public-domain DOI Office of Aviation Services aviation safety document, republished here as a free chaptered HTML edition with a linked table of contents and the official PDF.

Publisher: DOI Office of Aviation Services
Document
Pages: 1

Key points

A Colorado fire crew experienced a fuel leak from a Vallfirest Compact Drip Torch during a return flight after a Search and Rescue mission.
The leak was caused by improper packaging of the drip torch, which was loaded upside down, resulting in a broken gasket.
Approximately 8 ounces of fuel spilled inside the aircraft's internal cargo hold, contaminating other gear.
Crews are responsible for packaging and securing hazardous materials in accordance with NWCG Standards for Aviation Transport of Hazardous Materials.
The pilot and crew executed a precautionary landing and properly disposed of the leaking fuel and contaminated gear.

Frequently asked questions

What incident prompted the issuance of this bulletin?

The bulletin was prompted by a fuel leak incident involving a Colorado fire crew's aircraft after a Search and Rescue mission.

What was the cause of the fuel leak?

The fuel leak was caused by a Vallfirest Compact Drip Torch being loaded upside down, which resulted in a broken gasket.

What should crews do before transporting hazardous materials?

Crews must package and secure hazardous materials in accordance with NWCG Standards for Aviation Transport of Hazardous Materials.

What actions did the crew take after discovering the fuel leak?

The crew notified dispatch, executed a precautionary landing, located the source of the leak, disposed of the fuel, and adjusted the line packs.

What was the outcome of the incident?

The crew successfully managed the situation by disposing of the leaking fuel and ensuring that contaminated gear was discarded or washed.

Document

OAS-43A (12/12)

Interagency Aviation

Accident Prevention Bulletin

No. IA APB 23-01 December 5 , 2022 Page 1 of 1 Subject : Hazardous Materials in Aircraft Area of Concern: Flight Safety Distribution: All Fire and Fire Aviation Operations.

Discussion: After completing a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission, a Colorado fire crew loaded their gear into an aircraft to prepare for their flight home.

Approximately 15 minutes into the return flight, a crewmember stated that he could smell fuel inside the cabin. Upon confirming the odor, the crewmembers attempted to locate the scent within the cabin but were unsuccessful. With the smell still lingering, the pilot notified dispatch and made a precautionary landing to investigate further for possible leaks. After landing, a crewmember located a Vallfirest Compact Drip Torch (35oz) leaking in the internal cargo hold from one of the crewmember’s line packs. After further inspection, it appeared that the line pack was loaded upside down and one of the gaskets on the compact drip torch appeared to be broken. The fuel leak (approx. 8oz) had spilled on other gear inside the storage compartment. The remaining fuel was discarded to prevent further leaking.

Kudos to the pilot and crew informing dispatch of their situation and for executing a precautionary landing.

Once the smell was located, the crew disposed of the fuel and adjusted the line packs in the upright position. After returning to their home base, the crew discarded or washed the fuel contaminated gear (SAFECOM 23-0059 ).

Before transporting hazardous material in an aircraft, it is the responsibility of the crewmembers to package and secure hazmat in accordance with NWCG Standards for Aviation Transport of Hazardous Materials , PMS 513 .

/s/ Keith Raley /s/ Lori Clark Keith Raley Lori Clark Chief, Aviation Safety, Training, Program Branch Chief Evaluation, and Quality Management Aviation Safety Management Systems DOI, Office of Aviation Services USDA, Forest Service