An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX encountered an emergency on January 6 when one of its doors unexpectedly opened mid-air, just minutes after take-off from Portland International Airport. The aircraft, carrying 177 passengers, promptly made an emergency landing in Oregon. US aviation authorities have identified a crucial component, the door plug from an airplane panel, which could aid in the investigation into the root cause of the incident.
In the midst of this event, a user on X (formerly Twitter), Seanathan Bates, reported an intriguing discovery. While walking along Barnes Road, he stumbled upon an iPhone that had fallen from the aircraft. Remarkably, the phone still had in-flight activation turned on, with a protective case intact.
Sharing photos on X, Bates exclaimed, “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.”