iPhone Miraculously Survives 16,000-Foot Plunge from Alaska Air Flight

An iPhone reportedly plummeted 16,000 feet from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 and astonishingly survived, intact and functioning.

Ars Technica reports that in a situation that sounds like something straight out of an Apple marketing video demonstrating the toughness of their phones, an iPhone survived a 16,000-foot drop from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. The incredible story began when game developer Seanathan Bates stumbled upon an iPhone under a bush near a roadway. This discovery came after a terrifying incident on Flight 1282, during which the plane experienced an explosive decompression due to an accidentally dislodged door plug. Despite the terrifying situation, all passengers and crew were reported to be unharmed.

Bates was surprised to find the phone, not only because of its unexpected location but also due to its surprisingly intact condition. The phone was in airplane mode and had a 50 percent battery charge and a damaged charging cable attached. The phone even displayed notifications that were in sync with the timing of the flight. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the find, adding that this was one of two phones retrieved post-incident, with the second phone discovered in a local resident’s yard.

This incident is similar to a case reported by AppleInsider, where an iPhone belonging to a skydiver continued to function normally after falling from a height of 14,000 feet. The phone’s survival was attributed to several factors, such as the trajectory and landing environment of the device. Landing in a bush likely cushioned the impact and the build of the phone – featuring materials like Gorilla Glass and aerospace-grade aluminum alloys – allowed the device to survive relatively unscathed.