LOS ANGELES- On December 31, 2024, a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA) in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, made a U-turn due to technical troubles.
United now offers two daily flights between Los Angeles and Kailua-Kona, using a mix of Boeing 737 MAX 9 and 757 aircraft.
United Airlines U-Turn
According to AirNav Radar data, United Airlines Flight UA2373 departed Los Angeles at 5:11 PM UTC (9:11 AM local time).
After flying for more than an hour and thirty minutes, the flight crew reported engine problems. The crew did not declare an emergency and instead made a precautionary landing back at LAX.
The plane landed safely at LAX at 12:06 PM PST (8:06 PM UTC).
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took note of this incident and released a 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.
Furthermore, the FAA announced that they would conduct a thorough investigation to determine the actual reason of this incident.
According to a United Airlines statement, there were seven crew members and 226 passengers on the flight. The flight was operated by a Boeing 757-300 with the registration number N78866. Furthermore, the aircraft is 22.8 years old and powered by a Rolls-Royce (RR) engine RB211-535C.
United said they have arranged for an alternate aircraft (N75854) to perform the flight. The flight with a different aircraft left LAX at 11:47 PM UTC and landed in KOA at 4:31 AM UTC.
Similar Incident
Earlier this year, on Monday afternoon, May 27, 2024, a United Airlines Airbus A320 operating Flight UA2091 to Seattle (SEA) experienced an engine issue at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Smoke appeared near the aircraft’s wing during takeoff preparations, requiring emergency safety precautions.
The event delayed Memorial Week travel operations at O’Hare Airport, affecting a large number of travelers during the peak vacation season. Ground staff quickly dragged the aircraft back to the gate, where all passengers safely disembarked.
Passenger Carmen Hernandez, returning from Nashville, noticed a lack of contact from the flight deck throughout the incident. The pilot’s sparse updates left passengers unsure of the scenario as it unfolded.
Maintenance workers thoroughly inspected and repaired the affected aircraft. After completing the necessary maintenance operations, Flight UA2091 left for Seattle, arriving safely after a six-hour delay.