Plane crash investigators in France examine theory that EgyptAir jet crashed after smartphone overheated
CCTV 'shows personal belongings lying in cockpit' hours before disaster that killed 66
PLANE crash investigators in France are examining a theory that a EgyptAir jet may have plunged into the Mediterranean last May because of the pilot's overheated smartphone batteries, it's claimed.
A source from the French aviation probe suggested there could be a “troubling parallel" between where the fire broke out in the cockpit and where the co-pilot left his iPhone, according to Le Parisien newspaper.
But one aviation expert cast doubt over the phone battery theory and believes the most "plausible" cause lay in a fire being sparked beneath the cockpit.
And Apple says there is no evidence to link Apple products with the crash and the investigators have not contacted the company as part of the probe.
Flight 804 killed all 66 people on board when it crashed into the Med in May.
No cause has been found and the investigation continues.
CCTV cameras at Charles de Gaulle airport clearly show the personal belongings lying on the glare-shield, said Le Parisien.
“The images very clearly indicate that the Egyptian co-pilot put his telephone, tablet and bottles of perfume bought before boarding on the glare-shield,” the paper said.
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There were no security issues with the devices when the co-pilot passed through the normal airport security controls, it continued.
“The investigators hence note a troubling parallel between the placing of these items that are fed by lithium batteries and the triggering of alarms during the flight,” the newspaper added.
Lithium batteries in mobile devices have overheated and ignite before.
Some types are banned from aircraft
But David Learmount, operations and safety editor at Flight International magazine and a former pilot, told the he thought the battery theory was a "red herring".
He told the newspaper: "Firstly, pilots don't leave objects on the dashboard because they know the they will end up in their lap when they take off or on the floor and they'll get airborne in turbulence and could jam the controls."
"Also, a phone bursting into flames just below the windscreen is a fairly spectacular thing to take place on a flight, and they would have told somebody on the ground. Nobody has mentioned this.
"But the key point is while there were warnings about the window heating systems, there were also smoke alarms in the toilet and avionics bay under the floor.
"How would the fire have got under there? It doesn't make sense."
Apple said its all products met all safety standards and that it had not been contacted by any authority investigating the crash.
A spokesman said: “We haven’t been contacted by GTA or any authority investigating this tragic event. We have not seen the report but we understand there is no evidence to link this event to Apple products.
"If investigators have questions for us, we would of course assist in any way we can.
"We rigorously test our products to ensure they meet or exceed international safety standards.”
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