LOS ANGELES- Chicago-based United Airlines (UA) flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA), Kailua-Kona, Hawaii made a U-Turn after experiencing mechanical issues on December 31, 2024.
As per the current schedule, United operates two daily flights between Los Angeles and Kailua-Kona with a mix of Boeing 737 MAX 9 and 757 aircraft fleet.
Photo: By FoxyOrange – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29202696United Airlines U-Turn
According to AirNav Radar data, United Airlines Flight UA2373 took off from Los Angeles at 5:11 PM UTC (9:11 AM local time).
After being airborne for over one hour and 30 minutes, the flight crew reported some technical issues with the engine. The crew did not declare an emergency and decided to make a precautionary landing back at LAX.
The aircraft landed safely at LAX at 12:06 PM PST (8:06 PM UTC).
Photo: AirNav RadarThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken note of this incident and issued Statements on Aviation Accidents and Incidents page:
United Airlines Flight 2373 returned safely to Los Angeles International Airport around 12 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Dec. 31, after the crew reported an engine issue. The Boeing 757-300 was en route to Kona International Airport in Hawaii.
FAA Preliminary statement
Furthermore, the FAA stated that they would initiate a detailed investigation to find out the exact cause of this occurrence.
According to United Airlines Statement, there were seven crew and 226 passengers onboard the flight. The flight was operated by Boeing 757-300, registered as N78866. Further, it is a 22.8-year-old aircraft powered by Rolls Royce (RR) engine RB211-535C.
United said they arranged an alternative aircraft (N75854) to operate the flight. The flight with different aircraft departed LAX at 11:47 PM UTC and landed in KOA at 4:31 AM UTC.
Photo: By JacobAviation – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84736868Similar Incident
Earlier this year, A United Airlines Airbus A320 operating Flight UA2091 to Seattle (SEA) encountered an engine malfunction at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport (ORD) on Monday afternoon, May 27, 2024. Smoke emerged near the aircraft’s wing during takeoff preparations, prompting immediate safety protocols.
The incident disrupted Memorial Week travel operations at O’Hare Airport, affecting numerous passengers during the busy holiday period. Ground crews swiftly towed the aircraft back to its gate, where all passengers disembarked safely.
Passenger Carmen Hernandez, returning from Nashville, reported a lack of communication from the flight deck during the incident. The pilot’s limited updates left travelers uncertain about the situation as it unfolded.
Maintenance personnel conducted thorough inspections and repairs on the affected aircraft. Following the completion of necessary maintenance procedures, Flight UA2091 departed for Seattle, arriving safely after a six-hour delay.
Featured Image by Clément Alloing | Flickr
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United Airlines Chicago to Phoenix Flight Diverted Amid Cockpit Smoke
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