Wednesday, September 25, 2024 The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation into an alarming event on a United Airlines flight that resulted in injuries to two passengers. The incident occurred as the pilots of the flight responded to a midair collision warning issued by the aircraft’s Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). United Airlines Flight 2428 was on its descent into San Francisco International Airport after departing from Newark, New Jersey, last Thursday when the crew received a TCAS Resolution Advisory (RA).
In response, the aircraft altered its descent pattern to avoid another aircraft flying at a lower altitude. According to United Airlines, the flight slowed its descent to adjust for a potential conflict with the lower-altitude plane, following standard TCAS protocol. Despite this, two passengers on board were injured during the abrupt maneuver and required hospitalization.
An FAA incident report confirmed that one passenger suffered serious injuries while another sustained minor injuries. This occurred when the aircraft’s collision warning system triggered an advisory requiring immediate corrective action. TCAS alerts like these are considered urgent safety warnings, and pilots must take evasive measures swiftly to prevent potential midair collisions.
Preliminary data from FlightRadar24 indicates the incident took place at an altitude of 31,000 feet over Lake Berryessa, located approximately 70 miles north of San Francisco. Two other aircraft were in the vicinity at the time – a Southwest Airlines flight 3,000 feet below the United plane and a SkyWest flight 1,000 feet lower. Despite the TCAS warning, the FAA has clarified that there was no actual loss of safe separation between the United flight and the other aircraft.
The agency emphasized that while the situation required immediate action, the distance between the planes was maintained within safety standards. However, the jolt during the incident still led to injuries, as United Airlines confirmed that the seatbelt sign was illuminated at the time, but one of the injured passengers was not seated. It remains unclear if the severity of the injuries could have been mitigated if both passengers were seated and restrained.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not launched a formal investigation into the incident yet, but a spokesperson for the agency stated that preliminary information is being collected. The NTSB will likely determine whether a more extensive investigation is warranted in the coming days. This event adds to a string of recent near-collisions in the aviation industry.
On September 12, an Alaska Airlines flight had to abort takeoff in Nashville when a Southwest flight crossed the same runway. Just two days earlier, the wingtip of a Delta Air Lines Airbus A350 clipped a smaller regional jet while taxiing, resulting in the regional jet’s tail detaching from the fuselage. The FAA has been closely monitoring such events and working with airlines to ensure that safety procedures are rigorously followed.
As part of its investigation, the FAA will review the actions of the United Airlines flight crew and examine whether proper protocols were followed in response to the TCAS advisory. As air traffic continues to increase, the FAA’s investigation into this incident will play a crucial role in ensuring that TCAS systems are effectively preventing midair collisions without compromising passenger safety. The outcome of the FAA’s probe, along with the possible involvement of the NTSB, will help determine if any procedural changes are necessary to further enhance in-flight safety measures.
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