In another troubling incident for United Airlines, a Boeing 787-10 operated by the airline made an emergency landing at New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) last Friday, following severe turbulence that resulted in over twenty passengers sustaining injuries, with seven requiring hospitalization.
Over twenty passengers were injured during the incident, with seven being hospitalized.
It is believed that the plane was caught in severe winds as it approached Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Following the encounter, the aircraft aborted its landing at the airport, climbed several thousand feet, and redirected north to SWF.
United confirmed the incident to Simple Flying, stating, “On Friday, United flight 85 was diverted to Stewart International Airport (SWF) after severe winds were reported in Newark. One passenger disembarked due to a medical issue, while several other customers were seen by medical personnel for possible motion sickness. The flight refueled and continued to Newark later that evening.”
The Flight Originated in Israel
According to Flightradar24.com, the aircraft, registered N14016, departed from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv, Israel, as UAL85. It left the gate at 11:30 but did not take off until 13:05. The plane climbed to an initial cruising altitude of 34,000 feet before making a jump to 36,000 feet.
As it crossed the North Atlantic Ocean, the aircraft further climbed to 38,000 feet and continued westward without incident for the remainder of its journey.
Approaching EWR
About 10 hours and 51 minutes into the flight, N14016 began its initial descent. Ten minutes into the descent, the aircraft was around 20,000 feet. As it flew over Albany and turned south, its descent rate slowed as it passed west of Poughkeepsie.
Around 17:25, the aircraft was flying at approximately 4,200 feet and turned north before veering east towards EWR. Five minutes later, it made a slight southeast turn to cut through the approach path. At 17:35, the aircraft lined up for a final approach to runway 22L, descending to 3,000 feet.
It appeared to continue as a normal approach. Flight data showed the aircraft was just 350 feet above the runway at around 17:37. It then climbed to 3,200 feet and continued flying south of the airport before turning northwest. The Dreamliner eventually descended and landed safely at SWF. According to Flightradar24.com, N14016 made a safe landing on runway 27 around 18:00.
A Series of Safety Incidents
The exact moment the plane encountered severe turbulence is unclear, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would investigate the incident. The FAA stated that the crew reported a passenger medical emergency, which led to the diversion.
According to News 12 Westchester reporter Blaise Gomez, there were 312 passengers on board. Fifteen were treated by medical personnel at SWF, while seven were taken to St Luke’s Cornwall Hospital.
