Newly released air traffic control recordings capture the tense moments an American Airlines pilot alerted controllers to a fire inside a crowded passenger plane, after a laptop reportedly ignited, sent smoke through the cabin and left several travelers burned.
American Airlines Flight 2398 was en route from Atlanta to Dallas on Friday with 133 people on board when a passenger’s laptop began to smoke and then caught fire roughly 30 minutes before the Airbus A321 was scheduled to arrive.
“Cabin fire in the back of the airplane,” the pilot told air traffic control in an urgent transmission as crew members responded to the in-flight emergency.
“The flight attendants are trying to put it out now,” the pilot added, as the situation unfolded inside the cabin.
A short time later, the update from the cockpit became even more concerning.
“I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop,” the pilot reported. “The laptop is contained about mid-aircraft.”
The frightening scene triggered panic among some passengers as smoke spread through the plane, while flight attendants moved quickly to isolate the burning device and bring the fire under control.
Passenger Jessica Irgens, who was seated just two rows from the incident, told CBS News the laptop first started smoking before flames appeared, producing so much smoke that she headed toward the back of the aircraft to get away.
American Airlines Flight 2398 was carrying 133 people from Atlanta to Dallas when a passenger’s laptop caught fire around 30 minutes before landing (stock image)
The owner of the computer placed the burning device in the aisle, Irgens said, while one or two fellow passengers who attempted to help suffered burns to their hands.
Flight attendants then managed to secure the smoldering laptop inside a special thermal containment bag within around five minutes.
Despite the pilot’s initial report that as many as five people may have suffered burns, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport said one passenger ultimately received medical treatment after the aircraft landed.
That person was treated and released at the scene. The aircraft landed safely at DFW at approximately 6:55pm.
Emergency personnel were waiting for Flight 2398 when it arrived, and the aircraft was able to taxi to its gate.
American Airlines praised the crew’s response to the potentially dangerous situation.
‘American Airlines flight 2398 landed safely at DFW after reports of smoke from a customer’s device during landing,’ the airline said.
‘We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device.’
The pilot told air traffic control that ‘four to five passengers’ may have been burned as flight attendants battled the smoking device in the cabin (stock image)
The FAA has now launched an investigation into the incident.
Laptops, cellphones, tablets and portable battery packs have become ubiquitous aboard commercial flights, but the powerful batteries inside them can, in rare circumstances, dangerously overheat.
The phenomenon is known as ‘thermal runaway.’
It can occur when a battery cell generates heat faster than it can dissipate it, potentially producing smoke, intense heat and fire.
‘Thermal runaway can occur without warning as a result of various factors, including if the battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged, or improperly packed,’ the FAA warns.
The danger has prompted regulators to impose strict rules surrounding lithium batteries aboard commercial aircraft.
Spare lithium batteries and power banks, for example, are required to remain in carry-on baggage rather than checked luggage so that a problem can be spotted and dealt with inside the cabin.
The FAA also restricts the size of lithium batteries passengers are permitted to carry because of the potential fire risk.
FAA figures show there has been 56 incidents involving lithium batteries producing smoke, fire or extreme heat aboard aircraft this year.
