An iPhone that fell from Alaska Airlines Flight ASA 1282, traveling from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, reportedly survived a 16,000 feet drop after a window shattered on the Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft. This incident caused items, including phones, to be sucked out mid-air. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed the occurrence, stating that there’s another iPhone found to be in working condition after the fall.
While the exact model of the iPhone is yet to be officially confirmed, based on photos shared on a platform referred to as ‘X,’ it is speculated to be either an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone was reported to have a protective hard case.
Found an iPhone on the side of the road… Still in airplane mode with half a battery and open to a baggage claim for #AlaskaAirlines ASA1282 Survived a 16,000 foot drop perfectly in tact!
When I called it in, Zoe at @NTSB said it was the SECOND phone to be found. No door yet😅 pic.twitter.com/CObMikpuFd
— Seanathan Bates (@SeanSafyre) January 7, 2024
A person named Seanathan Bates shared pictures of the recovered iPhone on ‘X,’ stating, “Found an iPhone on the side of the road… Still in airplane mode with half a battery and open to a baggage claim for #AlaskaAirlines ASA1282 Survived a 16,000 foot drop perfectly intact! When I called it in, Zoe at @NTSB said it was the SECOND phone to be found. No door yet.”
The recovered iPhone was found to be in perfect condition, seemingly unaffected by the free fall from the aircraft to the ground.
In response to a concerning midair incident involving a shattered window and part of the fuselage on one of its Boeing 737-9 aircraft, Alaska Airlines took precautionary measures by grounding its entire fleet of 65 such aircraft. The incident prompted an emergency landing in the U.S. state of Oregon. The airline is likely to conduct thorough investigations and inspections to ensure the safety of its fleet before allowing the affected aircraft to resume operations.
The incident occurred shortly after takeoff, leading to a gaping hole that caused the cabin to depressurize. The plane reportedly ascended to 16,000 feet before making a swift return to Portland International Airport. Despite the alarming situation, the airline reported that the plane landed safely, carrying 174 passengers and six crew members.
The recovered iPhone, discovered by Seanathan Bates while walking down Barnes Road, was found with its in-flight mode activated, along with the SOS mode. Ironically, while the iPhone was recovered, Alaska Airlines has yet to locate the window that fell from the aircraft during the midair incident. The airline is likely conducting thorough investigations to understand the full scope of the incident and to locate any missing parts.
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