A really easy way to blow up a plane

Try to recharge a non-rechargeable battery (by try, I mean don’t). Yep, that little move almost blew up a plane.

So I was reading through the National Transportation Safety Board‘s Docket Management System (ok kidding, someone else was bored enough to do that), and found this gem:

The passenger was wearing an Ecoquest Fresh Air Buddy Personal Air Purifier around his neck. According to the manufacturer, it “generates an intense electrostatic ion wind that charges floating particles in the ‘breathing zone.’ … As he held his telephone to the window, there was a noise that sounded “like a fuse.” There was a flash and a loud bang, and smoke emanated from the device. The passenger yelled and flung the air purifier from around his neck because it had started to burn him.

It exploded into a ball of flames “about the size of volleyball” and fell between the seat cushions, starting a fire. Passengers poured water and other liquids on the smoldering cushions, and a flight attendant used a Halon fire extinguisher to put the fire out.

The report noted that a short circuit is the most common cause of battery fires, and that charging a non-rechargeable battery could cause an internal short that could lead to thermal runaway, battery failure, and possibly an explosion.

Just in case you want to replicate his fun adventure towards death, here’s where you can get your own Ecoquest Fresh Air Buddy Personal Air Purifier (did they really have to use “Air” twice in the name?).