Chapter 3
Aircraft Hazards
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Objectives
• Understand primary aircraft hazards, including
fuel loads and hydraulic systems
• Have a basic understanding of secondary
aircraft hazards, including:
–
–
–
–
–
Electrical systems
Additional secondary hazards
Aircraft construction materials
Advanced aircraft composite materials
Cargo/baggage/contents
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Objectives (con’t.)
• Understand military aircraft hazards
• Understand aircraft hazards, including:
–
–
–
–
–
Liquid oxygen
Radar
Protruding devices
Wing surfaces
Specialized military aircraft hazards
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Objectives (con’t.)
• Understand personal protective equipment
(PPE) for aircraft incidents
• Understand how to use your issued PPE
• Understand NFPA regulations for PPE
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Introduction
• Aircraft has evolved tremendously and consist of
complex systems and materials
• Airplanes are diverse and have unique hazards
• The protection of human life is the highest
priority
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Primary Aircraft Hazards
• Fuel load: all aircraft carry fuel that can ignite
– Can be contained with firefighting foam
– Jet A
• Standard fuel since 1950s
• Auto ignition at 425° F
– Jet B
• Lighter than Jet A and used only in cold weather
– AVGAS
• High-octane fuel
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Primary Aircraft Hazards (con’t.)
• Hydraulic systems
– Control aircraft movement and vital systems
– Systems are under high pressure
– Systems contain fire-resistant fluids, Skydrol
• Exposure is toxic to humans
– Can create fires because of “BLEVE” (Boiling
liquid expanding vapor explosion)
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Secondary Aircraft Hazards
• Electrical systems can produce shock hazards
• Aircraft batteries can overheat
– Venting fumes and toxic gases
– May be in thermal run-away condition, which is
cause for evacuation
– Allow battery to cool by opening doors
– Cutting battery cable may also ignite fuel vapors
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Emergency Shutdown Procedures
• Emergency shutdown procedures vary
according to aircraft type and circumstances
• Specific, sequential procedure:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Immobilize the aircraft
Shut the aircraft throttle
Pull the aircraft’s “T” handle to stop systems
Activate the fire-extinguishing agents (as needed)
Turn off electrical system/disconnect battery
Aircraft engine may restart if magneto is left on
under certain conditions
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Figure 3-2 An aircraft battery
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Shutting Down Small
General Aviation Aircraft
• Pull the throttle toward you to reduce fuel flow
– Ignore square-face carburetor heat knob
– Throttle is black
• Pull the fuel mixture control knob toward you
– Knob is red and to the right of the throttle
– Ignore fuel selector systems
• If you are not familiar with aircraft shutdown
procedures, wait for trained personnel
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Additional Secondary Hazards
• Danger from Tires and Wheels
– High pressure and dragging brakes cause fires
– Magnesium wheel fragments are deadly
• Dangers from Jet Engine Intake and Propellers
– High velocity jet engine intake
– Rear exhaust is hot and may blow debris
– Propeller movement can cause injury or death
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Aircraft Construction Materials
• Evolved into thin and durable advanced
composite materials
– Not new to aircraft construction
– Many assorted organizations and companies do
research and development
– Used on propellers, airframe, landing gear and
skin
– Used throughout many kinds of aircraft
– Remarkable load bearing strength and durability
– Lack strength when subject to compression
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Advanced Aircraft Composite Materials
• Fires involving advanced composite materials
produce black smoke and toxins
• Toxins from these materials can pose health
hazards
• Composite fibers can become electrically
conductive under certain circumstances
• Fibers released in composite burns are in
breathable range depending on the size of fiber
particulates
• Clean-ups should be handled by professionals
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Figure 3-6 Mojave Test composite-fiber burns conducted by the author, the
U.S. Air Force, and other ARFF agencies. The black smoke is caused by
burning jet fuel and by the burning, melting resin matrix.
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Cargo/Baggage/Contents
• Familiarize yourself with local airfreight facilities
and cargo-carrying aircraft
• Regulations are established by agencies:
– International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
– International Air Transport Association (IATA)
• Dangerous goods are often carried on-board
– Some bear appropriate hazard labels,
– Others are carried unintentionally by passengers
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Case Study
• A courier received a shipment of dangerous
goods shipped from Thailand to New York
• If this aircraft been involved in a crash or ground
fire, responders would have been in proximity to
this dangerous material
• Job-specific training is required for handling
dangerous goods
• Handling labels and placards are used to identify
dangerous goods
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Figure 3-12 Materials shipping labels
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Military Aircraft Hazards
• Consists of a variety of specialized aircraft from
fighters to passenger transport
• Knowing the type of aircraft enables you to
handle the emergency effectively
– All military aircraft categorize aircraft by a letter
prefix (e.g., F = fighter type of airplane)
• Ammunitions, bombs, explosives, flares and
external fuel tanks may be carried on-board
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Specialized Aircraft Hazards
• Liquid oxygen (LOX) can:
– Freeze human skin on contact
– Ignite when exposed to other materials
– Detonate and cause serious fire hazards when
mixed with other substances such as petroleum
products.
• Radar
• Protruding Devices
• Control surfaces may suddenly drop downwards
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Case Study
• Valuejet DC-9 passenger jet crashed into Florida
everglades
– Claimed 100 lives
– Cause: oxygen generators in lower baggage hold
became activated and started a rapid fire
• Gaseous oxygen stored in cylinders can be
dangerous
– Used in aviation oxygen cylinders
– All pressure vessels pose a hazard
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Specialized Military Aircraft
• Often possess ejection seats and canopies
– Three types of canopies
• Clamshell: opens like a clamshell
• Hinged: opens sideways
• Sliding: slides on tracks
– Use caution when cutting into a canopy
– Hazards are posed if ejection seat is triggered
• Variants on ejection seats may be encountered
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Personal Protective Equipment
for Aircraft Incidents
• Protective equipment for ARFF differs from other
types of firefighting
• Designed to combat blistering heat and the force
of fuel-vapor explosions
• ARFF-approved equipment is heat-reflective,
silver in appearance
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Using Your Personal Protective
Equipment
• Preferred personal protective equipment for
aircraft incidents is aluminized-coated
• With age and exposure to the elements, the
heat-reflective ability decreases
• Provides only limited protection from aircraft fires
• Self-contained breathing apparatus must be
used within the accident cordon
• Air-monitoring equipment should be set up to
ensure all responders are kept safe
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
NFPA Regulation for Personal
Protective Equipment
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has
developed standards for firefighting ensembles
• Compliance is documented in source document
NFPA 1976
– Created to establish guidelines for protective
ensemble for structural firefighting
– Specifies guidance and compliance requirements
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Summary
• Be aware of the common and less common
dangers posed by an aircraft in an accident
situation
• Military aircraft pose additional dangers,
because they often are equipped with weapons
and munitions, ejection seats, and jettison
systems
• Additional hazards are present in the
combustion products generated by aircraft
construction materials
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Summary (con’t.)
• Dangers from declared and undeclared
hazardous cargo, extraordinary systems, or
specialized aircraft may also be encountered
during a rescue
• Use personal protective equipment and be
aware of NFPA regulations governing PPE use
• Responders’ vigilance of a situation can ensure
that rescue operations are conducted safely
© 2008 Delmar, Cengage Learning