UAL flight from Maui fell precipitously following takeoff from Kahului Maui during the same strong winter storm that imperiled Hawaiian flight 35.
UAL flight from Maui fell precipitously following takeoff from Kahului Maui during the same strong winter storm that imperiled Hawaiian flight 35.
Why isn’t anyone asking why the pilots continued the flight all the way to the mainland after the aircraft was subjected to such extreme stresses? They absolutely should have turned around and had the plane inspected in Hawaii before it was flown again. I’m certain it received an emergency inspection once it reached SFO. The pilots’ action following the incident was reckless and irresponsible.
Josh- There’s additional info now on CNN Travel that a passenger said that the plane climbed alarmingly for several seconds and then nosed down in altitude for 8-10 seconds before recovering, then flying normally and getting to cruise altitude. This seems to indicate that the plane hit some fierce headwinds and updrafts and then possibly stalled, forcing the pilots to point the plane down until they achieved enough airspeed to fly normally again. If this is the case, then the pilots did a great job in preventing the plane from totally stalling and crashing. As to why they didn’t turn around is probably because the aircraft did not exceed it’s engineered flight envelope and capacity.
My question also. Why didn’t they return? As a passagener, it would have been horrifying wondering if it would happen again.
From the info and the comments it appears obvious this was weather related and looks like a probable wind shear/downdraft event. Some mentioned a possible incorrect flap setting which would be pretty much unheard of on climb out. This incident would not be so serious if it happened at a higher altitude, but coming within 750 feet of the surface of the ocean is very serious and very spooky. Very close call.
Kudos to the pilot! But why hasn’t it been addressed that the aircraft was even allowed to take-off, especially as it was noted that the” severity of the gusts were exceptional?”
Is great to be informed about Aviation and Hawaii
Please tell me why I read these stories when I’m going to be flying in a couple of months…and have the greatest fear of flying?
Same!! I feel like it’s all I see recently coming from Beat of Hawaii. Wish they would relax on these articles. We go to Hawaii every year and it’s my most dreaded flight and these articles are not helping with our upcoming flight in May.
FlightAware and FlightRadar24 are both notoriously, to real aviators, wrong. They rely on private antennas to get info. I know as I host two antennas on my own aircraft storage building/hangar. I have thousands of hours and several aircraft licenses of different types in both USA and Canada so even when I fly my own aircraft I go and check my track on the computer through the two websites and find tracks, altitudes and ground speed that were absolutely incorrect.
I was on the flight and can attest to the accuracy of the report. It happened and we all felt the 2.7 G’s. Thankful for the crews ability to save the flight.
Does this mean you have access to the data on this flight that took place on this date of December 19, 2022 from OGG to SFO – “I go and check my track on the computer through the two websites and find tracks, altitudes and ground speed that were absolutely incorrect.” If so, what was deemed incorrect according to your findings and what would have been the correct info? Thank you for your time and insight on this.
I have the greatest fear of getting out of bed and I still do. What are you afraid of anyway? In the long term, you’re dead already.
Aside from the fact that I can see the ground/ocean rushing up at me at great speeds (while I’m singing the first part of Kenny Loggins’ “This is It”)? Nothing.
They should not have been flying in that weather. It’s quite alarming to us pilots as well. Measures will likely be taken to this does not occur again.. You’ll be fine on your flight, you can check turbulence forecast for the route as well. Have a Mai Thai and relax : )
I had that day off and decided to drive down to VOR Beach, which is at the western boundary of the main runway in Maui. The weather was horrendous. My car was rocking in the wind gusts, the rain was horizontal. I was surprised at how many jets were still taking off and landing, although I could see on my Flightradar24 app that several flights, after circling above for approx 30 min, diverted to Big Island. Who decides when it’s safe to fly?
Hi Eldo.
Yes, it is hard to describe how unusual that storm was, even for Hawaii. The wind gusts in particular.
Aloha.