Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 1145; Flight Crew Type 600
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Equipment / Tooling
This was a personal flight under visual flight rules (VFR). An Apple device was configured as an electronic flight bag (EFB) and was used to provide required aviation charts and data for the flight. The EFB was mounted securely in a clamping-style mount facing the left seat; with its screen visible from both left and right seats. The EFB was in use continuously after starting the aircraft engines; and was running the ForeFlight EFB application. While parked in the 'runup' area; the flight plan for the planned flight was configured and confirmed to be active on the EFB. Shortly after takeoff; I noted that the device appeared to have 'crashed' without warning; and at that time appeared to be rebooting. Shortly afterwards; while in flight at 10;500 feet elevation I noted that the device now appeared to have possibly installed an update or similar; rather than merely rebooting. Several attempts were made in flight to resume use of the device as an EFB; but it was soon determined to have likely been reset to 'factory settings'; as it was displaying the Apple 'hello' screen that is displayed on new devices or devices which have been reset to factory settings. All attempts to log into the device (even to confirm whether it had been reset and thus all EFB applications and data wiped) failed due to a requirement for Internet service to do so. The device was then determined to be inoperable and unusable as an EFB; and was stowed for the remainder of the flight. It was later determined from Apple support call that an exchange employment email account was the source of the factory reset.
Pilot reported the Ipad Electronic Flight Bag became unusable shortly after takeoff.