A passenger’s laptop caught fire aboard American Airlines Flight 2398 as the plane approached Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Friday, with the pilot reporting possible burn injuries among several passengers before the aircraft landed safely.
What did the pilot report during the incident?
According to air traffic control audio obtained by CBS News, the pilot described a cabin fire in the back of the aircraft and said flight attendants were actively working to put it out. The pilot estimated that four to five passengers had been burned by the device, noting the fire was contained roughly mid-aircraft. The flight, which originated in Atlanta and carried 133 people, landed without further incident, taxied to the gate, and was met by emergency personnel as standard procedure.
How many people were actually hurt?
One passenger received medical treatment on site and was released, according to the airport. That figure appears smaller than the four to five burns the pilot referenced in the moment, which is common in early incident reporting, since initial estimates from the cockpit can differ from the confirmed count once passengers are evaluated on the ground.
How did American Airlines respond?
American Airlines confirmed the flight landed safely at DFW following reports of smoke from a passenger’s device during landing, and credited the crew’s quick response for containing the situation. The airline did not specify further details about the device or the extent of any injuries beyond confirming the safe landing.
Why do laptop batteries catch fire like this?
The FAA attributes these incidents to a process called thermal runaway, in which a lithium battery overheats and can ignite without warning. Contributing factors include physical damage to the battery, exposure to water, overcharging or improper packing. Because of that risk, the FAA requires lithium batteries to be carried in cabin luggage rather than checked bags, so any fire can be identified and addressed quickly rather than going unnoticed in the cargo hold.
How common are these incidents?
FAA data shows at least 56 verified lithium battery incidents involving smoke, fire or overheating on flights so far this year, though one report placed the figure at 58, a discrepancy likely tied to reporting timing rather than a factual conflict. Over the past two decades, laptops have been linked to more of these incidents than any other single device category, with 84 recorded cases. A similar incident occurred in February, when an Alaska Airlines flight bound for Wichita was forced to return to Seattle after a passenger’s power bank overheated and caught fire mid-flight.
Is this part of a larger pattern in air travel?
Yes. Aviation regulators have flagged personal electronics, particularly power banks, as a growing source of onboard fire risk. In May, a UK-bound EasyJet flight from Egypt was diverted to Rome after a power bank was discovered charging inside a passenger’s checked luggage, delaying the flight by a full day. The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has separately warned that portable chargers are becoming one of the more serious safety issues airlines face, urging greater passenger awareness of how these devices are stored and used during flights.
What should passengers take from this?
The incident reinforces existing guidance to keep lithium battery devices in carry-on luggage where they remain accessible, and to avoid charging power banks or laptops in overhead bins or seat-back pockets where a developing fire could go unnoticed longer than in a passenger’s immediate reach.
