United 777 from Dulles to LHR drops 20000ft & returns to Canada

[Roger Dixon]

(16 July) - "A United Airlines spokesman in London said today: United flight 130 from Washington Dulles to London Heathrow diverted to St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

'There was a mechanical problem with an engine, and out of an abundance of caution, the pilot elected to divert the plane.

'The Boeing 757-200 carrying 50 passengers and 9 crew members landed safely and without incident."


So says the Daily Wail today.


Read more: London-bound plane forced to divert to Canada after losing 20,000ft while half-way across the Atlantic | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174355/London-bound-plane-forced-divert-Canada-losing-20-000ft-half-way-Atlantic.html#ixzz20qRPd98P)

Any professional input available out there? Such as........ as SLF, - would be nice to know what type of "engine failure."

[lilflyboy262...2]

Bigger story is only 50 people on board a 757. Yikes.

[SOPS]

Exactly what I was thinking Flyboy.:sad:

[ironbutt57]

would be nice to know what type of "engine failure."

The type where the engine doesn't work anymore:ok:

[Bearcat]

"out of an abundance of caution" .......what a load of sh@te. I was at 40w that night and heard the whole thing. He had a loss of power quote unquote....diversion only show in town..He was well into his crossing as the ETPs for KEF and SNN were close for us circa 35w and 31W.

Loads of best wishes as he set sail for CYYT. Hope they enjoyed the moose burgers !

[INTEL101]

Reported in various media. I was a pax on this aircraft 6/30. surprised not to see anything reported here. Anyone know what happenned?

[i_like_tea]

And I imagine you would have heard the crew say SOMETHING about why they are suddenly back on the wrong side of the pond... ? :ok:

[Flightmech]

Do you mean "drops" or "descends" 20,000ft?? There's quite a difference. If you were a pax on this flight and you dropped rapidly 20000ft (to 10000 or below) you may have had a mask dangling in front of you??

[Steakman]

London-bound plane forced to divert to Canada after losing 20,000ft while half-way across the Atlantic | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174355/London-bound-plane-forced-divert-Canada-losing-20-000ft-half-way-Atlantic.html)

[McBruce]

Well I just arrived home after dropping from 38,000ft :cool:

[INTEL101]

Depart:
18:03
Sat., Jun. 30, 2012
Washington, DC (IAD - Dulles) Arrive:
06:20 +1 Day
Sun., Jul. 1, 2012
London, England (LHR - Heathrow) Flight Time:
7 hr 17 mn

Travel Time:
10 hr 35 mn Award Miles/
Premier Qualifying*:
3,677 /0%
Total Award Miles:
3,998 Flight: UA918
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200
Fare Class: United Economy (XN)
Meal: Dinner
No Special Meal Offered.

However the photo in Business Insider of the aircraft affected looked very much like a 777 but you know how much the press just posts any old photo they happen to have handy.

If the affected aircraft was a 757 then I flew back to EWR on one of those last Thursday without incident:
Flight: UA111
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: United Economy (XN)
Meal: Dinner

Would still like to know what happenned.

[lomapaseo]

Do you mean "drops" or "descends"

It dipped

....................




St. John's, Newfoundland (CTV/CNN) - United Airlines passengers headed from
Washington D.C. to London wound up taking a detour to Canada after the jet suddenly began to lose altitude.

Passengers say the plane dipped in the sky.

The plane was diverted and landed safely in Newfoundland, Canada Monday morning.

"Starting at about 1:30 in the morning, we were notified by Air Traffic Control that a United aircraft 757 was declaring an emergency. The aircraft had a number one engine shut down. Once we were notified of that, we had about an hour's notice. At about 2:30, we notified all the local emergencies and activated our emergency plan and put the resources on standby at the airport. The aircraft landed safely and by about three in the morning, everything was under control and passengers were brought to the terminal and emergency services folks checked them out and went back to their stations," said Bob Nurse, Director of Security and Emergency Response at St. John's Airport.

[Flightmech]

Well I just arrived home after dropping from 38,000ft

Glad you're ok. Did you get dinner?:E

[Sunnyjohn]

The thread for this is on Spectators Balcony (Spotters Corner)

[Old and Horrified]

I think what he actually meant was that he was on this particular flight on 30th June.

Sounds like they may have had an engine problem and simply descended to 20,000 feet while turning back to Canada.

[INTEL101]

The actual report published by Business Insider reads:
A United Airlines flight from Washington DC to London was forced to turn around when mechanical problems caused it to plunge 20,000 feet over the Atlantic.

Passengers described the nightmare flight to Daily Mail:

Ms Laming, who was joined by her friend Ellie Cauldwell, 22, from Bristol, said she had gone to sleep when she was jolted awake by the sudden movement of the plane.

"The plane dropped and it felt like being on a ferry when it goes up and down," she said.

"Most of the cabin crew were running up the aisles and we were not told anything for a while.

"We could tell from the on-screen maps that we had lost height - from around 40,000ft to 20,000ft - and that we had turned round.

"We gathered there was something wrong with one of the engines."

The flight returned to Canada, and passengers were reassigned.


Read more: United Jet Plunges 20,000 Feet Over Atlantic Before Turning Around - Business Insider (http://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-flight-plunges-20000-feet-over-atlantic-before-turning-around-2012-7#ixzz20tUIzIlW)

[sitigeltfel]

Passengers described the nightmare flight to Daily Mail

All we need to know :rolleyes:

[fotoguzzi]

[Not a pilot] I plunged today too. Then I had to wash off the plunger.

[Crabman]

Incident: United B752 over Atlantic on Jul 15th 2012, engine shut down in flight (http://www.avherald.com/h?article=452c4069&opt=0)

"A United Boeing 757-200, registration N14118 performing flight UA-130 from Washington Dulles,DC (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK) with 50 passengers and 9 crew, was enroute at FL390 over the Atlantic Ocean about 500nm east of St. John's,NL (Canada) when the crew declared emergency reporting they had shut down an engine (RB211) and descended to FL280. The aircraft turned around and diverted to St. John's for a safe landing on St. John's runway 29 about 130 minutes later.

The remainder of the flight was cancelled."

The airline reported the aircraft developed a mechanical problem with an engine, the engine was shut down as a precaution. The passengers were rebooked onto other flights to London."

[fireflybob]

Plunged? Whatever happened to "plummeted" - obvious written by a novice journo - and where was the bit about "narrowly missing a school" and pilots "wrestling with the controls"?

Really, Daily Mail, am sure you can do better!

[asc12]

The most alarming part of this story is that the 757 only had 50 passengers.

[Lonewolf_50]

May I be allowed to tip me cap to the crew for doing just what we'd expect them to do?

It appears that the crew handle the malfunction and get their pax down to terra firma safe and sound. No drama.

So, the journos try to invent drama.

:mad:

[ConstantFlyer]

Bigger story is only 50 people on board a 757. Yikes.

Slot sitting?