Found Apple iPhone Survives 16,000-Ft Fall From Alaska Airlines Flight, Unharmed
By Mikelle Leow, 09 Jan 2024
Image generated on AI
Mission i(m)Possible? An Apple iPhone has survived the drop test of all drop tests after plummeting over 16,000 from the fateful Alaska Airlines flight 1282. The unscathed device was picked up by Sean Bates, a resident of Vancouver, Washington, who stumbled upon the phone near Barnes Road in Portland, Oregon.
Astonishingly, the iPhone still functioned perfectly, with no signs of damage to its screen, and it was even still displaying an Alaska Airlines email. Cushioning its fall, it seemed, was its protective case and the softer, forested terrain where it landed.
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!
— Seanathan Bates (@SeanSafyre) January 7, 2024
When I called it in, Zoe at @NTSB said it was the SECOND phone to be found. No door yetð pic.twitter.com/CObMikpuFd
Shortly after the plane departed from Portland International Airport on January 5, a door plug unexpectedly blew out, causing a rapid depressurization in the cabin. This sudden change in pressure resulted in items like smartphones being forcefully ejected from the plane. Thankfully, the flight managed to return safely to Portland airport, with all passengers and crew unharmed.
Upon finding the device, Bates promptly notified the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). When officials collected the phone, they informed Bates that this was, in fact, the second phone recovered from that particular flight in the area.
Now, who says only Nokia bricks are immortal?