A routine flight from Atlanta to Dallas turned into a scramble when a passenger’s computer burst into flames. The pilot had to radio the tower for help while flight attendants fought the fire in the cabin.
You are sitting in your seat, getting ready to land. Suddenly, the back of the plane fills with smoke, and people are shouting because a laptop is on fire.
That is exactly what happened on American Airlines Flight 2398 on Friday. The plane was approaching Dallas Fort Worth International Airport when a battery inside a passenger’s computer caught fire.
Audio from the cockpit tells the story of the panic. The pilot had to stay calm while talking to air traffic control.
“Cabin fire in the back of the airplane,” the pilot said over the radio. “The flight attendants are trying to put it out now.”
He then gave a grim update on the injuries. “I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop. The laptop is contained about mid-aircraft.”
The crew managed to smother the flames before the wheels touched the runway. The airline released a statement after the plane landed.
“We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device,” the airline said, noting the smoke started during landing.
One person was treated at the airport and released.
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These batteries are a massive headache for airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration logged 58 battery fires on planes just this year. Over the last two decades, laptops caused 84 separate fires. That is why rules require keeping them in the cabin where crew members can reach them with a fire extinguisher.
The plane made it to the gate. The fire is out. But for the people sitting near the back of that cabin, the smell of burning plastic is going to stick with them for a long time.
