Cause of in-flight iPhone fire determined

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SYDNEY, May 4 (UPI) -- An iPhone that caught fire on an Australian airline flight last year was improperly repaired, leaving a loose screw that caused it to ignite, authorities said.

The crew on a regional REX flight to Sydney last November noticed black smoke billowing from the iPhone and used a fire extinguisher on it, ZDNet.com reported.

The iPhone was given to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for investigation.

The ATSB determined the screw that caused the fire was the result of a botched screen-replacement repair on the iPhone from a non-authorized service center. A screw from the bottom of the unit moved into the handset and caused the battery compartment to puncture, it said.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Martin Dolan said the incident should serve as a warning to passengers about the risks of traveling on planes with lithium battery devices.

"When traveling with mobile phones, laptops and other portable electronic devices -- or just their batteries -- passengers should, wherever possible, carry them in the cabin and not in checked-in baggage," Dolan said.

"The incident also highlights the importance of good maintenance and repair processes for these devices, and the risk of using non-authorized repair agents," he said.