by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 4:55 PM ET, Tue February 14, 2023
A United Airlines flight that took off from the north coast of Maui in December plunged from some 2,200 feet to just 775 feet above the ocean before correcting its course, according to several news reports.
The frightening incident went unreported by major media outlets until this week, following official confirmation that the flight disruption occurred. The first publication to report the news was the aviation blog The Air Current.
The flight in question, UA1722, apparently descended as fast as 8,600 feet per minute, according to data from flightradar24.com. The dramatic nose dive took place amid a storm that included significant rain and a flash flood warning.
The Air Current reported that two people familiar with the incident said the plane's climb produced forces of nearly 2.7 times the force of gravity on the aircraft and its occupants. The publication also reported that the entire incident lasted no more than 45 seconds.
It's unclear whether the plane's nosedive was registered by Maui-based air traffic controllers. Though controllers did clear the plane to proceed once it had recovered to 3,000 feet, The Air Current reported.
Once the incident was over, the United Airlines plane continued on to its San Francisco destination and arrived 27 minutes early. After landing in San Francisco, a formal internal safety report was filed, United Airlines representatives told CBS News. The plane was also inspected before continuing operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the United flight crew filed a report about the incident. The incident was reviewed by FAA officials, according to The Air Current report.
About two and a half hours after landing in San Francisco, the plane headed to Chicago on its next flight. The plane involved in the incident was a Boeing wide body with 364 seats.
The incident took place on the same day another flight, this one headed from Phoenix to Honolulu, also experienced significant turbulence near Maui. On that flight operated by Hawaiian Airlines, 25 people were injured.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
