A flight from San Francisco to Mexico City on Friday diverted to Los Angeles due to hydraulic problems, the fourth emergency for a United Airlines flight in a week.
United Airlines Flight 821 — which left San Francisco International Airport Friday night — was eventually “diverted to” Los Angeles International Airport due to “a problem with the aircraft’s hydraulic system,” a company spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement.
The Airbus 320, which was traveling with 105 passengers and 5 crew members at the time of the flight, has three hydraulic systems, which United notes are “for redundancy purposes.”
Only one of the three had problems during the flight on Friday, the airline reported, citing preliminary information. “The flight landed safely and passengers were disembarked normally at the gate,” United said. “Customers traveled to MEX on new aircraft.”
The Federal Aviation Administration revealed it would investigate the flight, which it reported ultimately landed safely around 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday.
ABC News, citing a spokesman, said the engines of the Los Angeles Fire Department were not needed when they responded to the plane’s landing.
Los Angeles International Airport, as pictured in November 2013.
AP Photo/Gregory Bull
A tire fell off a United Airlines flight after takeoff and hit vehicles in the parking lot below
The recent flight accident marks the fourth emergency involving United travel this week.
The incident came after passengers were evacuated on the same day after a United plane skidded off the runway in Houston, after a tire fell off a flight that took off from San Francisco on Thursday and after a flight from Houston to Fort Myers, Texas, reportedly had to swerved after one of the engines caught fire.
The evacuation in Houston early Friday occurred around 8 a.m. local time, when 160 passengers remained on the plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), the FAA previously noted, as reported by the Associated Press. United Airlines Flight 2477 reportedly skidded onto the grass after landing, after traveling from Memphis International Airport.
“After landing in rainy conditions, United 2477 exited the taxiway onto a grassy area. All passengers were bussed to the terminal and our team assisted them with their onward connections and other needs,” United Airlines told PEOPLE in a statement, and IAH confirmed x that there are no injured passengers.
Mike Allard, a passenger on the flight, told local outlet KTRK that a “big bang” could be heard after the aircraft tilted. “It seems like we veered. The plane was going a little too fast and it just skidded. That’s how I understood it. I’m glad everyone’s okay. I think the Lord was with us and protected us,” he said. .
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Just a day earlier, a tire had fallen at San Francisco International Airport from United Airlines Flight 35, damaging vehicles in the parking lot below.
The plane, which was headed for Japan, diverted to Los Angeles shortly after takeoff. NBC Bay Area reported at the time that the wheel eventually landed on top of two vehicles and bent a fence in the airport’s employee parking lot before coming to rest.
“There were no injuries,” airport public information officer Doug Yakel told PEOPLE. “The runway was closed briefly to clear the debris, but has since reopened. There is no further impact on airport operations.”
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Source: HIS Education