A B737-300 passenger caused a lavatory fire by smoking in-flight.

Attributes
ACN	541393
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	541393
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Passenger smoking in aft lavatory in-flight and causing fire. After landing in ZZZ, I wrote up the use of a fire extinguisher bottle, used for an in-flight fire in the aft lavatory trash bin and said it was ok, called maintenance and advised them. At next stop, dispatch asked that I call them, which I did, and advised them what happened. I guess dispatch didn't advise proper authority/authorized of in-flight fire. I should have called them at ZZZ, but thought maintenance would. In future, I'll call and advise dispatch to ensure proper reporting. 1/2 way to ZZZ one of the flight attendants called me on the interphone and said there was a fire in the aft lavatory trash bin and they were putting it out and that they would keep me informed. Later they called and said it was put out ok and that a male passenger caused it and said he admitted smoking in the lavatory, but did not put it in the trash bin. He gave his name and we requested a customer service supervisor and security to meet the aircraft in ZZZ. He was greeted by them, taken off (he was getting off in ZZZ anyway, I believe). 4 extinguisher bottles replaced, aft lavatory inspector by maintenance, logbook annotation made and signed off and departed uneventfully. Our 4TH flight attendant jump seater said later he was 'arrested' in ZZZ1 for smoking in a restroom at the airport, so it may be worth checking out with the ZZZ1 airport police.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 PAX CAUSED A LAVATORY FIRE BY SMOKING INFLT.

Narrative: PAX SMOKING IN AFT LAVATORY INFLT AND CAUSING FIRE. AFTER LNDG IN ZZZ, I WROTE UP THE USE OF A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BOTTLE, USED FOR AN INFLT FIRE IN THE AFT LAVATORY TRASH BIN AND SAID IT WAS OK, CALLED MAINT AND ADVISED THEM. AT NEXT STOP, DISPATCH ASKED THAT I CALL THEM, WHICH I DID, AND ADVISED THEM WHAT HAPPENED. I GUESS DISPATCH DIDN'T ADVISE PROPER AUTH OF INFLT FIRE. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THEM AT ZZZ, BUT THOUGHT MAINT WOULD. IN FUTURE, I'LL CALL AND ADVISE DISPATCH TO ENSURE PROPER RPTING. 1/2 WAY TO ZZZ ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED ME ON THE INTERPHONE AND SAID THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE AFT LAVATORY TRASH BIN AND THEY WERE PUTTING IT OUT AND THAT THEY WOULD KEEP ME INFORMED. LATER THEY CALLED AND SAID IT WAS PUT OUT OK AND THAT A MALE PAX CAUSED IT AND SAID HE ADMITTED SMOKING IN THE LAVATORY, BUT DID NOT PUT IT IN THE TRASH BIN. HE GAVE HIS NAME AND WE REQUESTED A CUSTOMER SVC SUPVR AND SECURITY TO MEET THE ACFT IN ZZZ. HE WAS GREETED BY THEM, TAKEN OFF (HE WAS GETTING OFF IN ZZZ ANYWAY, I BELIEVE). 4 EXTINGUISHER BOTTLES REPLACED, AFT LAVATORY INSPECTOR BY MAINT, LOGBOOK ANNOTATION MADE AND SIGNED OFF AND DEPARTED UNEVENTFULLY. OUR 4TH FLT ATTENDANT JUMP SEATER SAID LATER HE WAS 'ARRESTED' IN ZZZ1 FOR SMOKING IN A RESTROOM AT THE ARPT, SO IT MAY BE WORTH CHKING OUT WITH THE ZZZ1 ARPT POLICE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.