iPhone that fell from hole in Alaska 737 MAX flight is found, still open to Mail

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

An iPhone sucked out of the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 mid‑air incident was later found on the ground still working and unlocked, prompting curiosity about how it survived a 16,000‑foot fall. Commenters dig into the physics of terminal velocity and impact surfaces, noting that a light, flat phone reaching modest speed and landing in soft vegetation can fare better than a short drop onto concrete. The episode also triggers debate about screen‑lock habits and security trade‑offs, airline baggage fees and liability, Boeing’s safety culture, and how companies like Apple may capitalize on such events for PR.

Device survival and physics

  • Many commenters say the phone surviving isn’t “defying physics”: once at terminal velocity, height doesn’t matter much.
  • Estimates of terminal velocity vary widely: ~9 mph, 20–40 mph, ~70 km/h, ~25–30 mph, up to ~110 mph, with people disputing masses, drag coefficients, and orientation (face-down, edge-first, tumbling).
  • Consensus direction: a light, flat object falling through air and landing on soft vegetation/soil can be fine; dropping onto concrete from a meter can be worse.
  • Several anecdotes support this: phones surviving long falls (mountains, skydiving, tramways) but shattering from short, hard-surface drops.

Drop conditions and cases

  • Photos show a protective case and likely a screen protector; many view this as critical to the outcome.
  • The broken-off charging cable suggests a violent ejection and possibly staged impacts (e.g., trees or shrubs breaking the fall).
  • Multiple people contrast this survivability with their own phones cracking from knee-height onto wood/tile; angle of impact and surface hardness are seen as the main factors.

Lock behavior, security, and auto-lock

  • A major thread is: why was the phone still unlocked and displaying Mail?
  • Explanations offered:
    • Auto-lock set to “Never” (some intentionally do this for convenience or dev work).
    • iOS only locks after inactivity; if it was in use (e.g., reading email, charging), it could stay awake.
  • There’s debate on whether disabling auto-lock is “reckless” vs. a reasonable personal risk tradeoff.
  • Many argue screen locks are low-friction protection against theft or loss; others accept higher risk for smoother use at home or while driving.

Tracking, airplane mode, and Find My

  • The phone reportedly showed SOS/airplane mode, raising questions about trackability.
  • Some note that airplane mode can still leave Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth on; Bluetooth-based “Find My” can work even with radios partly disabled or the phone off.
  • Others had assumed airplane mode disables all radios and are surprised by this behavior.

Privacy and handling of the found phone

  • Several object to posting a clear photo of the email with the owner’s full name, even though the card digits were redacted.
  • Some argue the airline or authorities could handle return; others say public posting might help the owner learn it was found but also served attention/PR.

Airlines, Boeing, and PR angles

  • Side discussions cover U.S. baggage fees vs. European carriers, loyalty-card perks, and resentment over “nickel-and-diming.”
  • Boeing’s safety culture and recent incidents draw criticism; some mention NTSB procedures and how long items might be held.
  • Many note this is excellent incidental PR for Apple durability, though some mock conspiracy theories about it being an orchestrated marketing stunt.