Miscommunication Causes United Airlines Plane to Dive Near Ocean’s Surface
Federal investigators have concluded that miscommunication between pilots led to a harrowing incident involving a United Airlines jet shortly after takeoff from Hawaii in December. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released their findings, stating that the crew failed to properly manage the aircraft’s vertical path, airspeed, and nose direction due to a mix-up between the captain and co-pilot.
The miscommunication occurred when the captain requested the co-pilot to reset the wing flaps. However, a simple misunderstanding took place, with the co-pilot hearing “15” instead of “five.” As a result, the plane’s nose continued to pitch down, causing the co-pilot to grasp the severity of the situation. Desperate to regain control, he repeatedly called out, “Pull up!” while the ground proximity warning system also alarmed the crew.
In a frightening turn of events, the Boeing 777 plummeted over 1,400 feet towards the ocean before the pilots were finally able to stabilize the aircraft. Astonishingly, the captain opted to proceed with the flight to San Francisco after reassuring reports from the chief flight attendant that everyone was unharmed and there seemed to be no visible damage.
The rest of the journey continued in a routine manner, with 271 passengers and 10 crew members on board. The captain boasted an impressive flying experience of nearly 20,000 hours, while the co-pilot had accumulated 5,300 hours.
United Airlines spokesperson, Joshua Freed, stressed the airline’s commitment to safety and highlighted that the lessons learned from this incident would be incorporated into the training programs for all United pilots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the United pilots voluntarily disclosed the incident through a safety-reporting program, and appropriate action was promptly taken.
Initially, the incident failed to gain substantial attention until The Air Current, an esteemed aviation publication, conducted data analysis which shed light on the incident. Surprisingly, the NTSB only became aware of the incident two months later, as the data from the plane’s black boxes had been overwritten.
Notably, this incident occurred on the same day that a Hawaiian Airlines flight departing from Phoenix encountered severe turbulence, resulting in injuries to 36 passengers. The National Weather Service had previously issued an advisory warning for thunderstorms and unstable air conditions in the area during that time.
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