A passenger aboard Alaska Airlines on Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, experienced an in-flight incident that caused the aircraft to falter mid-air. In the chaos, an iPhone was dropped from the cabin, but days later the device was recovered on solid ground and still appeared to function. This remarkable turn of events drew attention from tech and aviation outlets alike.
The person identified as Sean Bates, a resident of Vancouver, found that his iPhone remained detectable after the landing. Through the Find My app, he located the phone along the shoulder of a highway in Portland, Oregon. Bates promptly reported the situation to the National Transportation Safety Board and requested that authorities retrieve the device and arrange its return.
Upon retrieval, the iPhone was discovered lying on grassy terrain and remained functional. The screen lock still showed an alert related to Alaska Airlines’ baggage fees, indicating the device stayed connected despite the fall. The phone’s resilience was attributed to a protective case and a soft landing on grass, which likely helped shield it from damage.
Officials from the NTSB confirmed that Bates’ iPhone was the second device recovered from Flight 1282, underscoring the unusual nature of the incident and the unusual persistence of the technology involved.
Earlier reporting indicated that the operation of the Boeing 737 MAX 9 had been suspended in the United States after a depressurization event occurred on that side during the flight. The incident prompted safety reviews and ongoing investigations to determine the causes and prevent a recurrence.