An Alaska Airlines flight from Wichita to Seattle had to turn around Sunday after a passenger’s cellphone and external power bank overheated midair, cutting the trip short and sending one traveler to the hospital for evaluation.
The plane, an Embraer 175, returned to Wichita's Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport not long after takeoff when the devices began overheating in the cabin. Crew members secured the phone and power bank, the aircraft landed safely, and it taxied back to the gate so emergency responders could board. Airport officials said one person was transported to a local hospital for further treatment, and there were no reports of additional injuries.
As reported by KOMO, Alaska Airlines said Flight 2117, operated by Horizon Air, returned to Wichita shortly after departure when "a guest experienced an overheating issue with her cell phone and its power bank device." Flight attendants placed both items into a containment bag as a precaution while they prepared for landing. Airport officials told KOMO that Airport Emergency Response & Operations personnel evaluated three individuals once the plane was back at the gate.
Flight Tracking Confirms Operator And Route
Flight tracking data from FlightStats lists AS2117 as a Wichita to Seattle service, marketed by Alaska and operated by Horizon Air on an Embraer 175. Tracking records show the flight was in the air for roughly 30 minutes before crews chose to head back, then taxied to the gate at ICT so emergency personnel could board and check on passengers.
Why Power Banks Can Be Dangerous
The scare underscores a familiar problem with lithium ion batteries. When they malfunction, they can enter what experts call “thermal runaway,” a chain reaction of overheating that can generate intense heat, smoke, and potentially fire. According to the FAA’s PackSafe guidance, spare lithium batteries and power banks have to be carried in the cabin, not checked bags, and are subject to size and handling limits. Airlines equip crews with containment bags specifically to isolate devices that overheat in flight, exactly as happened here.
Alaska Airlines told KOMO that it is working to reaccommodate affected guests on other flights to Seattle, and airport staff assisted passengers after the incident. While the event ended without serious injury, it lands as another reminder of regulators’ long standing advice to keep external batteries protected, properly packed, and in carry on bags where crews can respond quickly if something heats up.
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