Over the weekend, an American Airlines Airbus A321-200, flying from Philadelphia to Phoenix, had to make an unexpected stop in Washington DC due to a fire caused by a passenger’s device. The flight, which typically takes just under five hours, was cut short when the plane landed at Dulles Airport less than an hour after takeoff. Fortunately, the crew managed to contain the fire, and the aircraft landed safely. This incident is part of a growing trend of in-flight fires linked to personal electronic devices.
American Airlines flight AA357 usually departs from Philadelphia International Airport at 9:37 AM, heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International. However, on this particular Saturday, the flight was delayed and took off at 11:05 AM. The situation escalated when the pilots halted their climb at 28,000 feet and diverted to Washington Dulles due to smoke from a passenger’s device. American Airlines praised the crew’s quick response, stating that the device was contained before landing and that passengers and crew disembarked normally.
The FAA is now investigating the incident. The aircraft, identified as N558UW, landed at Dulles just before noon, where emergency services were ready to assist. Passenger Adriana Novello shared her experience with ABC News, describing how she was startled awake by a flight attendant reaching for a fire extinguisher. She recalled the smell of smoke and seeing something on fire in the aisle, which caused concern among passengers.
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Originally reported by Simple Flying Read More
