A fire started by an electronic cigarette forced a Tap Air Portugal plane to return shortly after takeoff from London Gatwick airport (United Kingdom). The device had started burning the carry-on bag where it had been placed. The crew members noticed the accident in time and put out the fire.
The reconstruction
Second Aviation Heraldthe accident occurred on February 8, 2026 and involved a Tap Air Portugal Airbus A320-200. Flight TP1329 was scheduled to transport passengers from London Gatwick Airport to Porto, Portugal. The first takeoff attempt, however, ended in a flight of just 13 minutes. At the time there was talk of a fire that had forced the pilots to return.
The latest bulletin from the Portuguese Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Air and Rail Accidents (Gpiaaf) shed light on the matter. It all started when the cabin crew at the rear of the jet “detected a strong burning odor” during takeoff. The origin of the fire was soon identified, as the operators found “a hand baggage placed in the burning overhead compartment”. The flames were quickly put out and emergency services greeted the jet as it arrived at London Gatwick, before it took off again for Porto.
The GPIAAF then clarified: “Before the flight to Porto, a security check was carried out. The cause of the fire was identified in an electronic cigarette found in the hand luggage”. However, during the emergency, the Portuguese authority points out, “12 passengers got up and blocked the corridor”.
The plane landed in Porto with a three-hour delay after obtaining the green light for the new take-off.