NEW YORK- On Friday, a United Airlines (UA) Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner had to make an emergency landing at New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) due to what was described as “severe turbulence.”
Over 20 passengers sustained injuries, with seven of them requiring hospitalization upon landing.
United 787 Turbulence Injured 22
Reports suggest the aircraft encountered strong winds when approaching Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Consequently, the plane decided to abort its landing at EWR, ascended several thousand feet, and redirected northward to SWF.
According to data from Flightradar24.com, the aircraft with registration N14016, identified as UAL85, operated its flight from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The Boeing 787 departed from its gate at 11:30 but did not take off until 13:05. Initially reaching a cruising altitude of 34,000 feet, it ascended to 36,000 feet. While traversing the North Atlantic Ocean, the aircraft climbed further to 38,000 feet. They continued their westward journey for the remainder of the flight, which seemed to transpire without any notable incidents.
Approximately 10 hours and 50 minutes into the flight, N14016 commenced its initial descent. Ten minutes into the descent, the aircraft was at an altitude of around 20,000 feet. As it flew over Albany, the Dreamliner altered its course to the south. The rate of descent slowed as it passed west of Poughkeepsie.
At approximately 17:25 EDT, the 787 was flying around 4,200 feet and veered back to the north before moving east, moving closer to EWR. Five minutes later, the aircraft made a slight southeast turn to align with the approach path.
By 17:35, the aircraft was aligned for its final approach on Runway 22L and descending through 3,000 feet. It proceeded with what seemed to be a standard approach.
Eventually, the 787 Dreamliner reached an altitude of 4,200 feet before initiating its descent and successfully landing at SWF. N14016 safely touched down on Runway 27 at approximately 18:00.
FAA will Investigate
The exact timing of the aircraft’s encounter with severe turbulence remains uncertain, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced its intention to conduct an investigation into the incident.
A reporter at News 12 Westchester conveyed that there were 312 passengers on board. Of these, fifteen received treatment from paramedics at SWF, while seven were transported to St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital.
Following a delay of more than two hours on the ground, UAL85 resumed its journey to EWR. The aircraft took off from SWF at 20:16 and touched down at EWR at 20:34.
United has recently come under scrutiny due to a series of safety incidents. Last week, the FAA announced plans to intensify its monitoring of United’s operations to ensure adherence to safety regulations.
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