United Airlines flight plunged to within 800 feet of Pacific Ocean after takeoff, data shows
United Airlines Flight UA1722 was traveling between Kahului, Hawaii, and San Francisco
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A United Airlines flight that departed Hawaii for San Francisco late last year came just 775 feet from crashing into the Pacific Ocean, data shows.
Statistics provided by Flightradar24 and first reported by aviation news website The Air Current show that United Airlines Flight UA1722 reached an altitude of 2,200 feet about a minute after takeoff from Maui on Dec. 18, 2022, before plunging to 775 feet above sea level nearly 20 seconds later.
The Boeing 777-200 then began climbing again and reached its normal altitude before arriving in California.
"After landing at SFO, the pilots filed the appropriate safety report," a United Airlines spokesman told FOX Business in a statement. "United then closely coordinated with the FAA and ALPA [Air Line Pilots Association] on an investigation that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training. Safety remains our highest priority."
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The flight path of United Airlines Flight 1722 on Dec. 18, 2022, after it left Kahului, Hawaii. (Courtesy of Flightradar24.com)
The spokesman added that the pilots involved fully cooperated with the investigation and have around 25,000 hours of flying experience between them.
However, United Airlines, when asked by FOX Business about what caused the plane to plummet, said it didn't have "anything additional" to share.
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A United Airlines plane lands at San Francisco International Airport on Sept. 15, 2022. (Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)
Weather at the time of departure showed heavy rain and a flash flood warning was in effect for Maui County that afternoon, according to The Air Current.
United Airlines says the pilots filed a safety report after the plane landed in San Francisco. (Robert Alexander / File / Getty Images)
The Federal Aviation Administration told FOX Business that the plane’s flight crew "reported the incident to the FAA as part of a voluntary safety reporting program."
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"The agency reviewed the incident and took appropriate action," the FAA added in a statement.