Moments of fear on an American Airlines flight, which departed from Atlanta, Georgia, and headed to Dallas, Texas (United States). On the plane, which was carrying 133 people, the alarm was raised after a passenger’s laptop caught fire. During the approach to the destination, a laptop belonging to a passenger overheated, with smoke filling the rear of the cabin.
The fire on board
In communications with the control tower, one of the pilots raised the alarm reporting a “cabin fire at the rear of the plane” and explaining that the flight attendants were trying to put it out. The same pilot then added: “I think there are around four or five passengers burned by the laptop”, specifying that the device had in the meantime been moved towards the center of the aircraft and that the injuries had mainly affected the hands.
Safe landing
Despite the emergency situation, the aircraft managed to land safely at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, reaching the Terminal C gate independently. Emergency vehicles were waiting for the plane on the tarmac, activated according to standard emergency protocols. Fortunately, the toll was lighter than expected: only one passenger required medical treatment and was discharged shortly afterwards.
The precedents
The accident that occurred on the American Airlines flight is only the latest in a long series of fires caused by PC, smartphone or power bank batteries. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), since the beginning of 2026 there have been at least 58 verified accidents attributable to lithium batteries, including smoke, fire or extreme heat. If you need anything else, let me know