If former forum member hawkerj96 is still visiting, please contact admin as we have a new member who wishes to contact you about John Hawke

United 777 off Maui - Near Crash

Post Reply
Message
Author
PHXPhlyer
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 8169
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:56 pm
Location: PHX
Gender:
Age: 69

United 777 off Maui - Near Crash

#1 Post by PHXPhlyer » Mon Feb 13, 2023 5:34 pm

A United 777 made a scary plunge toward the ocean shortly after takeoff

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/unit ... index.html

A United Airlines 777 leaving Hawaii in December plunged toward the ocean for 21 seconds shortly after takeoff and came within 800 feet of sea level, flight tracking data show.

Neither United nor the FAA indicated anyone was injured on United Flight 1722 on December 18.

The plunge occurred a little over a minute after takeoff, the data show.

The plane lost more than half its altitude and came within 775 feet of sea level, according to the data from FlightRadar24. The plane gained speed as it dropped 1,425 feet from 2,200 feet before regaining its climb out of Kahului on the island of Maui.

The data suggest the remainder of the flight was uneventful.

United said it conducted an investigation with the FAA and the pilots union “that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training,” adding the investigation is ongoing.

The pilots have a combined 25,000 hours of flight time.

“The United Airlines flight crew reported the incident to the FAA as part of a voluntary safety reporting program. The agency reviewed the incident and took appropriate action,” the FAA told CNN.

Although the weather at the exact time is unclear, the National Weather Service reported the day set a daily record for rainfall at Kahului.

The incident, which is coming to light only now, was first reported by the website Air Current.
https://theaircurrent.com/aviation-safe ... lose-call/

PP

PHXPhlyer
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 8169
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:56 pm
Location: PHX
Gender:
Age: 69

Re: United 777 off Maui - Near Crash

#2 Post by PHXPhlyer » Tue Feb 14, 2023 6:20 pm

Finally, a passenger account:

A United 777 made a scary plunge toward the ocean shortly after takeoff


https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/unit ... index.html

A United Airlines 777 leaving Hawaii in December plunged toward the ocean for 21 seconds shortly after takeoff and came within 800 feet of sea level, flight tracking data show.

Neither United nor the FAA indicated anyone was injured on United Flight 1722 on December 18.

The plunge occurred a little over a minute after takeoff, the data show.

The plane lost more than half its altitude and came within 775 feet of sea level, according to the data from FlightRadar24.

The plane gained speed as it dropped 1,425 feet from 2,200 feet before regaining its climb out of Kahului on the island of Maui.

‘Felt like … a roller coaster’
Rod Williams II and his family were sitting near the back of the plane when the Boeing 777 made a terrifying plunge shortly after taking off from Kahului Airport in Hawaii.

Williams told CNN the plane seemed to be flying normally at first, but then he said the plane climbed at “a concerning rate” for a few seconds.

“It felt like you were climbing to the top of a roller coaster. It was at that point,” Williams said. “There were a number of screams on the plane. Everybody knew that something was out of the ordinary, or at least that this was not normal.”

The plane then went into a “dramatic, nose-down” dive for about eight to 10 seconds before it climbed steeply again and resumed normal flight.

United said it conducted an investigation with the FAA and the pilots union “that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training,” adding the investigation is ongoing.

The pilots have a combined 25,000 hours of flight time.

“The United Airlines flight crew reported the incident to the FAA as part of a voluntary safety reporting program. The agency reviewed the incident and took appropriate action,” the FAA told CNN.

Although the weather at the exact time is unclear, the National Weather Service reported the day set a daily record for rainfall at Kahului.

The incident, which is coming to light only now, was first reported by the website Air Current.

‘You’re just kind of gripping the seat’
The experience was harrowing for passengers.

“When the plane started to nosedive, multiple screams are being let out, at that point,” Williams said. “You’re trying your best to maintain your composure – there’s obviously kids on the flight – nobody really knows what’s going on, but at the same time, you’re concerned. You don’t know if this is an issue, but it was certainly out of the ordinary.”

Williams said he and his wife were sitting on either side of their children and glanced at each other during the steep descent.

“It’s tense, you don’t really have a chance to speak or to conjure up words, you’re just kind of gripping the seat and praying under your breath,” he said. “I asked her later and sure enough … we were praying for a miracle, because we felt like this could be it.”

Flight attendants comforted some passengers after the incident and there was an announcement on the loudspeaker about 10 minutes later.

“Someone from the cockpit got on the intercom and said, ‘Alright, folks, you probably felt a couple G’s on that one, but everything’s gonna be OK. We’re gonna be alright,’ ” Williams said.

Williams studied aviation in college, so he had some idea of what was happening, but his daughter, 10, and son, 7, had never flown before their trip to Hawaii, so they didn’t really know what was happening. They were scared, Williams said, but his son still wants him to play United by flying him on his shoulders.

The rest of the flight went smoothly, but Williams said there was a strong crosswind when they landed in San Francisco. They then took another flight home to Ohio.

Williams wasn’t aware of how close the plane came to the water until Sunday night – eight weeks after the flight – when his father showed him the report on the incident.

Williams said he has tried to focus on the wonderful memories they made on what he called a once in a lifetime vacation and that he didn’t want his kids to be afraid to fly so they can enjoy future trips.

“Now that I know, statistically what had happened, and that we were about 5 to 5.2 seconds from hitting the water, you know, I’m definitely counting my blessings,” he said. “I’m reminded that when my wife and I pray together before the flights that, you know, there’s a God that’s here in that.”

He said he was grateful for the pilots’ “amazing, amazing recovery efforts,” and said they should be praised for that.

“You read about these things, but then when you get to experience it, it’s just, sobering, you know. I’m very thankful to be here today.”

PP

User avatar
Woody
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 10231
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:33 pm
Location: Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand
Age: 59

Re: United 777 off Maui - Near Crash

#3 Post by Woody » Sat Feb 18, 2023 11:10 am

Not sure if this is related, but worrying.

https://avherald.com/h?article=504d75c7
When all else fails, read the instructions.

PHXPhlyer
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 8169
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:56 pm
Location: PHX
Gender:
Age: 69

Re: United 777 off Maui - Near Crash

#4 Post by PHXPhlyer » Thu Aug 10, 2023 9:34 pm

United flight’s plunge toward the ocean was caused by pilot error, NTSB says

https://www.cnn.com/travel/united-fligh ... index.html

A 2022 incident where a United Airlines flight came within 748 feet of crashing into the Pacific Ocean was caused by pilot error, federal investigators say.

In a just-published final report, the National Transportation Safety Board pins the cause of United Airlines flight 1722’s dive on “the flight crew’s failure to manage the airplane’s vertical flightpath” after an apparent “miscommunication” between the two pilots over the position of the plane’s wing flaps.

The incident took place about one minute after the Boeing 777 departed Hawaii’s Kahului Airport in heavy rain and turbulence on December 18, the NTSB said. The flight with 271 passengers on board continued on to its destination San Francisco without further issue, investigators said.

The NTSB said statements from the flight crew revealed confusion over the setting of the 777’s flaps, which are typically extended for takeoff and retracted incrementally during climb out.

“When the airplane reached the acceleration altitude, the captain reduced the pitch attitude slightly and called for the flap setting to be reduced to flaps 5,” the NTSB said in its report. “According to the first officer, he thought that he heard the captain announce flaps 15.”

The report says the captain, who was flying the airplane at an altitude of 2,100 feet (640 meters), became concerned about damaging the still-extended flaps and started descending and decelerating until cockpit alarms sounded.

‘Pull up pull up’
“Both pilots recalled hearing the initial warnings from the ground proximity warning system (GPWS), and the first officer recalled announcing ‘pull up pull up’ along with those initial GPWS warnings,” the NTSB report said.

The report says that United Airlines has changed its training procedures and “issued an awareness campaign about flight path management at their training center.”

After the incident first came to light earlier this year, United said it had conducted an investigation with the FAA and the pilots union “that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training.”

United is “drawing on the lessons learned from this flight to inform the training of all United pilots,” the airline said in a statement on Thursday.

“Our pilots voluntarily reported this event and United fully cooperated with the independent investigation so that insights could be used to enhance the safety of the entire industry.”

United said both pilots received additional training and continue to fly for the airline.

‘Screams on the plane’
Passenger Rod Williams II told CNN in February that the plane seemed to be flying normally at first, but then he said the plane climbed at “a concerning rate” for a few seconds.

“It felt like you were climbing to the top of a roller coaster. It was at that point,” Williams said. “There were a number of screams on the plane. Everybody knew that something was out of the ordinary, or at least that this was not normal.”

Williams and his family were sitting near the back of the plane when the Boeing 777 made the terrifying plunge shortly after taking off from Kahului Airport in Hawaii.

He said the plane then went into a “dramatic, nose-down” dive for about eight to 10 seconds before it climbed steeply again and resumed normal flight.

The experience was harrowing.

“When the plane started to nosedive, multiple screams are being let out, at that point,” Williams said.

PP

Karearea
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 4723
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2015 5:47 am
Location: The South Island, New Zealand

Re: United 777 off Maui - Near Crash

#5 Post by Karearea » Thu Aug 17, 2023 8:05 am

From Blancolirio: NTSB Final Report UAL#1722 Maui Dive After Takeoff [36:05]

Concluding five minutes includes Blancolirio's simulation in MSFS 2020, showing how quickly the situation developed.

"And to think that it's the same dear old Moon..."

Post Reply