What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 10, 2007, N648JB was operating as flight 721 on a regularly scheduled flight from jfk to nas. While climbing through approx. 7000' AGL the inflight crew responded to a series of passenger call button, and in the process noticed smoke coming from the overhead bin above rows 18 and 19, aircraft left side (seatsabc). The flight attendant then opened the overhead bin door and observed thick black smoke and flames emanating from the rear of the bin. The source of the fire appeared to be coming from audio/visual recording equipment belonging to a member of the news media. The flight attendant then discharged two halon fire extinguishers which successfully put out the fire, and the smoke began to subside at that point. The entire event lasted approximately 3 minutes according to the inflight crew. The flight crew declared an emergency with NY TRACON and requested an immediate return to jfk. The aircraft landed and taxied to gate without incident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 10, 2007, N648JB WAS OPERATING AS FLIGHT 721 ON A REGULARLY SCHEDULED FLIGHT FROM JFK TO NAS. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH APPROX. 7000' AGL THE INFLIGHT CREW RESPONDED TO A SERIES OF PASSENGER CALL BUTTON, AND IN THE PROCESS NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE OVERHEAD BIN ABOVE ROWS 18 AND 19, AIRCRAFT LEFT SIDE (SEATSABC). THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT THEN OPENED THE OVERHEAD BIN DOOR AND OBSERVED THICK BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES EMANATING FROM THE REAR OF THE BIN. THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM AUDIO/VISUAL RECORDING EQUIPMENT BELONGING TO A MEMBER OF THE NEWS MEDIA. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT THEN DISCHARGED TWO HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WHICH SUCCESSFULLY PUT OUT THE FIRE, AND THE SMOKE BEGAN TO SUBSIDE AT THAT POINT. THE ENTIRE EVENT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES ACCORDING TO THE INFLIGHT CREW. THE FLIGHT CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH NY TRACON AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO JFK. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AND TAXIED TO GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.