Alaska Airlines flight forced to turn around after passenger's battery pack catches fire

An Alaska Airlines flight had to return to the airport on Sunday afternoon after a passenger's power bank device overheated and caught fire, the airline and federal authorities said. 

The flight, operated by Horizon, was traveling from Wichita, Kansas to Seattle, Washington. 

The flight crew used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The fire was reported and the flight returned to Wichita. The crew placed the device in a thermal containment bag while preparing for landing, Alaska Airlines said. 

Once the Embraer 175 jet returned to the gate, the passenger who had been using the device received medical attention, the FAA and Alaska Airlines said. An update on her condition was not available. 

Alaska Airlines said passengers arrived in Seattle on a later flight and that the airline "appreciated their patience." 

The FAA said it is investigating the incident. The agency requires airlines to report incidents involving dangerous goods, a label that includes batteries, battery-powered devices and aerosols. 

Lithium batteries, which can be found in battery packs, phones, laptops and other electronics can pose a particular danger, the FAA said. Passengers can only bring lithium batteries up to a certain wattage on planes, and cannot check them into the cargo hold, according to FAA and airline regulations. 

Between 2006 and 2023, there were 472 incidents on planes that involved lithium batteries, according to the FAA. Nearly 200 of those incidents involved batteries or battery packs. Most portable chargers and battery packs use lithium batteries, but the FAA and Alaska Airlines did not specify if the device in this incident included them. 

Lithium battery fires are difficult to put out and can release toxic fumes, according to the National Fire Protection Association.