The Air Busan plane damaged in a January fire that is believed to have started inside an overhead storage compartment is to be torn down, following the completion of an official investigation into the incident at Gimhae International Airport in Busan.
The Airbus A321, currently located at the Hangar No. 51 of the airport, is slated to be disassembled starting this weekend and moved elsewhere by the end of the month, according to local media reports Wednesday. The decision was made after the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, under the Ministry of Land, Transport and Infrastructure, wrapped up its examination of the destroyed aircraft.
The airplane was severely damaged in a fire that occurred at 10:26 p.m. on Jan. 28, as it was getting ready for takeoff. The accident left 27 injured as 169 passengers and seven crew members evacuated.
Officials of the ARAIB told media it has already been concluded that the fire started from inside the cabin, citing the National Forensic Service's analysis that was made public on March 13. It was found that a portable power bank stored inside the overhead bin short-circuited and caught fire, although the extensive damage to the battery pack makes it impossible to determine how exactly it happened.
Officials added that 3D-scanned images of the aircraft have been preserved. The investigation into the case will continue until the final report is released to the public.
Authorities decided to dispose of the destroyed aircraft due to overcrowding at Gimhae International Airport, as well as concerns that the heavily damaged airplane could further degrade in the summer typhoon season.
The Korea Airports Corp., operator of all civilian airports in Korea except for the main gateway Incheon Airport, had requested the plane's removal with the ARAIB. It cited an expected increase in air traffic in Gimhae, which is to be the primary gateway for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting slated for October in the nearby city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
