UAL 922 (763, EWR-LHR) diverts to Santa Maria Island (LPAZ / SMA)!

[spongenotbob]

Surprised this hasn't made it here yet... sounds like a pretty unusual diversion:

UA922 - Flights list - Flightradar24

Consolidated "Delayed/Cancelled" International Flights (2015) - Page 166 - FlyerTalk Forums

This looks like a very "large" diversion... nowhere near original track (?)

Aircraft has been retrieved and (presumably) ferried back to EWR...
United (UA) #2133 ? 04-Oct-2015 ? LPAZ / SMA - KEWR ? FlightAware

[peekay4]

It was posted here right after the diversion happened. However the thread was deleted by either the OP or by the mods.

Apparently a cargo door issue caused the precautionary diversion.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by spongenotbob

This looks like a very "large" diversion... nowhere near original track (?)

Santa Maria would almost certainly have been the closest diversion point, given the southerly NAT tracks that were in use on Saturday.

Don't be misled by the FlightRadar24 "track" - the dotted part means that basically they have no idea how the aircraft got from A to B. It certainly didn't begin its diversion just east of Newfoundland, as implied by the graphic.

[Wycombe]

I believe the aircraft continued to LHR.

[foxmoth]

We were going the other way, think we heard him.

[No Fly Zone]

@FoxMoth...

If you heard him, WHAT did he say? (Duh?)

In any case, this seems to be a most unusual diversion. While UAL is not known for excellent customer service (not even close...) they are a huge, well organized operation. I cannot envision them making what looks like an unusual diversion without a Very Good Reason. I cannot help but wonder what the back story may be. In time, perhaps we will learn.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Wycombe

I believe the aircraft continued to LHR.

No, United positioned a 767 from LHR to SMA yesterday morning, returning to LHR in the evening with the stranded passengers.

The original aircraft flew back from SMA to EWR later yesterday.