United Airlines flight out of Charlotte diverted after possible engine failure
A United Airlines flight from Charlotte to Houston diverted to Atlanta Wednesday morning after the crew reported “a possible engine issue,” the FAA said.
“Left engine out,” the pilot of Flight 575 told the air traffic control tower at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to live radio chatter heard by The Charlotte Observer on LiveATC.net, an app that broadcasts aviation radio traffic.
According to the radio traffic, the pilot was in the process of dumping fuel as the plane approached the airport in Atlanta. The pilot also stated that there were no hazmat materials on the aircraft. He said there was one infant on board.
The Boeing 737 landed safely around 8 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. FAA officials said they would investigate the incident and released no further details.
Flight 575 diverted to Atlanta due to a mechanical issue, United Airlines said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer.
“The flight landed safely, and passengers deplaned normally,” according to the airline.
Passengers continued to Houston on a different plane, arriving around 11:30 a.m., United Airlines said.
John Darwin Kurc, a filmmaker and private pilot from Houston, told The Charlotte Observer he was aboard the flight.
“(The pilot) just said there was an engine problem and we were diverting,” Kurc told the Observer on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Emergency crews surrounded the plane when we landed.”
“It was the number one engine,” Kurc said. “I was sitting on the opposite side so I couldn’t see it. I’m a private pilot and I didn’t feel or hear anything abnormal.”
Once the plane landed and passengers deboarded, Kurc took a picture of a mechanic working on the left engine and sent a copy to the Observer.
According to the airline, the plane that departed Charlotte was a Boeing 737-800 with 131 passengers and six crew aboard. The flight departed Charlotte at 6:53 a.m., according to FlightAware.com, which tracks flights at the nation’s airports.
The National Transportation Safety Board is not investigating the incident, a spokesman said, referring the Observer to the FAA.
An Atlanta airport spokeswoman referred the Observer to United Airlines.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published January 31, 2024 at 2:44 PM.