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Tue, Jan 09, 2024

Iphone Still Working After 16,000-Ft Freefall

Search Continues for Alaska ASA1282 Debris

An Alaska Airlines passenger's phone has been found more than a day after being sucked out the vacant emergency door in-flight, still operational and showing a baggage claim receipt.

The phone had been pulled out rapidly at more than 16,000 feet, quite violently judging by the shredded remains of the power cable it was connected to. The phone was found by a party searching for the missing door and associated paneling, who also mentioned it was the second such cell phone the NTSB had recovered.

It's great marketing for Apple, showing that their products are capable of some seriously tall drops - but there are some factors at play. The light little phone hit terminal velocity somewhere along the way and managed to drop onto apparently moist grass and dirt, reducing the sharp shock of rapid deceleration. Perhaps more impressive is that the phone is apparently none the worse for wear, with no artifacting in its display and nary a crack to be seen.

Though the search continues, it's a valuable hint that NTSB investigators are heading in the right direction.


FMI: www.apple.com

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