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iPhone 4 Experiences 'Self Combustion' Aboard Just-Landed Aircraft

Monday November 28, 2011 11:07 am PST by Eric Slivka
The Register points to a press release (PDF) from Australian airline Regional Express describing an incident last Friday in which an iPhone experienced "self combustion" onboard an aircraft just after the flight landed in Sydney. Based on an accompanying photo of the damaged iPhone, the device appears to be an iPhone 4.
Regional Express (Rex) flight ZL319 operating from Lismore to Sydney today had an occurrence after landing, when a passenger’s mobile phone started emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow.

In accordance with company standard safety procedures, the Flight Attendant carried out recovery actions immediately and the red glow was extinguished successfully.
A photo of the device shows a shattered rear glass panel and an apparent burn or scorch mark in the area corresponding to the lower half of the device's battery.


The press release offers no additional information on the circumstances surrounding the incident, such as whether the passenger was attempting to use the device at the time, but the iPhone has been turned over to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for investigation.

iPhone-related combustion is not an unheard-of phenomenon, although most reported incidents appear to have involved charging issues. This incident's occurrence on an airplane does, however, obviously draw some attention to the dangers of any potential combustion sources in such settings and will no doubt be thoroughly investigated in an attempt to determine its root cause.

[ 229 comments ]


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Thunderhawks
95 months ago

In before the obligatory (and hilarious) "you're holding it wrong" post


Talk about having "airplane mode" configured wrong!
Rating: 43 Votes
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iParis
95 months ago
Have fun explaining this one to the genius bar. : P
Rating: 36 Votes
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Mad-B-One
95 months ago

In before the obligatory (and hilarious) "you're holding it wrong" post


Must be jailbroken!


Nope. Both wrong: That was the device Apple handed over to Samsung's lawyers for the court case. It infringes on Samsung's self-destruction patents! :D
Rating: 34 Votes
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Dooger
95 months ago
In before the obligatory (and hilarious) "you're holding it wrong" post
Rating: 30 Votes
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Jerome Morrow
95 months ago
Just because it's an iPhone this thing will be spinned to the max.
Rating: 29 Votes
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Barnzee
95 months ago
I wonder if they thought is was a bomb
Rating: 22 Votes
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Skika
95 months ago
Inb4 explosiongate.
Rating: 20 Votes
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Popeye206
95 months ago
Obviously, anything can happen... I just hope this doesn't cause some silly over the top reaction that bans electronic devices from planes! That would stink!

I can't even imagine my iPhone4 getting that hot to burst and melt. I've never even noticed mine getting warm really and I use it all the time. Weird.
Rating: 16 Votes
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Thunderhawks
95 months ago

I wonder if they thought is was a bomb


Isn't there a combustion app?
Rating: 14 Votes
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bgtrack
95 months ago
Great, now they won't let us carry iPhones on planes. ;)
Rating: 13 Votes

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