Blue ice (aircraft)
Encyclopedia
Blue ice in the context of aviation is the frozen material formed by leaks in commercial aircraft lavatory waste tanks, a biowaste
mixture of human waste and liquid disinfectant that freezes at high altitude
. The name comes from the blue color of the disinfectant. Airlines are not allowed to dump their waste tanks in mid-flight, and pilots have no mechanism by which to do so; however, leaks can occur.
between 1979 and 2003. These incidents typically happen under airport landing paths as the mass warms sufficiently to detach from the plane during its descent. A rare incident of falling blue ice causing damage to the roof of a home was reported on October 20, 2006 in Chino
, California
. A similar incident was reported in Leicester, UK, in 2007.
In 1971, a chunk of ice from an aircraft tore a large hole in the roof of the Essex Street Chapel
in Kensington
, London
, and was one trigger for the demolition of the building.
In November 2011 a chunk of ice, the size of an orange, stroke through the roof of a private house in Ratingen-Hösel, Germany.
has recorded three very similar incidents where waste from lavatories caused damage to the leaking aircraft. All involved Boeing 727
s, and in all cases waste from a leaking lavatory hit the number 3 engine, mounted at the rear of the aircraft, causing a power loss or the engine to fall off in flight. The flights made safe emergency landings with the two remaining engines. Nobody was injured.
Only one report specifically mentions ice, while another mentions "soft body FOD
", indicating that in this case the "blue fluid" was not frozen.
. The title of the 1992 film Blue Ice
is a reference to the phenomenon. The 2001 film Joe Dirt
finds the title character (played by David Spade) proudly displaying a large chunk of 'blue ice' which he has mistaken for a meteorite, and the topic has also been covered on the TV show MANswers
. Blue ice was also featured in an episode of the television show "Mythbusters
".
In John Waters
's film A Dirty Shame
, David Hasselhoff
, playing himself, goes to the bathroom in an airplane and his waste is flushed out of the airplane and hits one of the main characters in the head.
Biowaste
Biowaste is material that is capable of self-replication and is harmful or potentially harmful to other living organisms....
mixture of human waste and liquid disinfectant that freezes at high altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
. The name comes from the blue color of the disinfectant. Airlines are not allowed to dump their waste tanks in mid-flight, and pilots have no mechanism by which to do so; however, leaks can occur.
Danger of ground impact
There were at least 27 documented incidents of blue ice impacts in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between 1979 and 2003. These incidents typically happen under airport landing paths as the mass warms sufficiently to detach from the plane during its descent. A rare incident of falling blue ice causing damage to the roof of a home was reported on October 20, 2006 in Chino
Chino
Chino is a Spanish proper word for "Chinese", also used informally to refer to people with Asian features who may not be actually Asian. Chino, in Spanish can colloquially refer to curly hair....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. A similar incident was reported in Leicester, UK, in 2007.
In 1971, a chunk of ice from an aircraft tore a large hole in the roof of the Essex Street Chapel
Essex Street Chapel
Essex Street Chapel, also known as Essex Church, is a Unitarian place of worship in London. It was the first church in England set up with this doctrine, and was established at a time when Dissenters still faced legal threat...
in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and was one trigger for the demolition of the building.
In November 2011 a chunk of ice, the size of an orange, stroke through the roof of a private house in Ratingen-Hösel, Germany.
Danger to aircraft
Blue ice can also be dangerous to the aircraft itself; the National Transportation Safety BoardNational Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
has recorded three very similar incidents where waste from lavatories caused damage to the leaking aircraft. All involved Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
s, and in all cases waste from a leaking lavatory hit the number 3 engine, mounted at the rear of the aircraft, causing a power loss or the engine to fall off in flight. The flights made safe emergency landings with the two remaining engines. Nobody was injured.
Only one report specifically mentions ice, while another mentions "soft body FOD
Foreign object damage
Foreign Object Debris is a substance, debris or article alien to a vehicle or system which would potentially cause damage.Foreign Object Damage is any damage attributed to a foreign object that can be expressed in physical or economic terms that may or may not degrade the product's required...
", indicating that in this case the "blue fluid" was not frozen.
In popular culture
Blue ice became known to many people from the last 2003 episode of the HBO series Six Feet Under, in which a foot-sized chunk drops on an innocent bystander. It was also mentioned in the US sitcom The Big Bang Theory season 2. This also happened in an episode of CSI: NYCSI: NY
CSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
. The title of the 1992 film Blue Ice
Blue Ice (film)
Blue Ice is a 1992 film directed by Russell Mulcahy and stars Michael Caine and Sean Young. It is a crime thriller involving a former spy , who is presently a jazz-club owner, who becomes immersed again in the world of espionage and counter-intelligence.Caine plays Harry Anders, who according to...
is a reference to the phenomenon. The 2001 film Joe Dirt
Joe Dirt
Joe Dirt is a 2001 American comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, Adam Beach and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf.-Plot:...
finds the title character (played by David Spade) proudly displaying a large chunk of 'blue ice' which he has mistaken for a meteorite, and the topic has also been covered on the TV show MANswers
MANswers
MANswers is a late night comedy series that premiered on Spike on September 19, 2007.The series is produced by reality television production company, SuperDelicious, and airs on Spike. The executive producers are Kyle Danielson the Third, Adam Cohen, Cara Tapper, Joanna Vernetti, Akifumi Takuma and...
. Blue ice was also featured in an episode of the television show "Mythbusters
MythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest...
".
In John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
's film A Dirty Shame
A Dirty Shame
A Dirty Shame is a 2004 satirical sex comedy written and directed by John Waters, and starring Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Shepherd, and Mink Stole.-Plot:...
, David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
, playing himself, goes to the bathroom in an airplane and his waste is flushed out of the airplane and hits one of the main characters in the head.