This was the reality for passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 354 from San Francisco to Boston, which had to make an emergency landing in Denver due to a wing issue. The incident, which occurred on a Monday, involved a Boeing 757-200 with 165 passengers on board, all of whom landed safely, thankfully.
The trouble began shortly after takeoff from San Francisco when passengers heard an unusual noise. One of them, Kevin Clarke, captured the moment on video, expressing his eagerness for the flight to end: ‘Just about to land in Denver with the wing coming apart on the plane,’ Clarke says in the footage shared with CBS News. ‘Can’t wait for this flight to be over.’
Clarke’s video, later posted by his wife Kimberly, showed parts of the wing visibly damaged. The unsettling sight of the chipped wing with a dark blue tip descending onto a runway was enough to alarm anyone. Another passenger, posting under the username octopus_hug, shared a photo of the wing on Reddit, noting the noise after reaching altitude was ‘much louder than normal.’
United Airlines responded to the incident, stating, ‘United flight 354 diverted to Denver yesterday afternoon to address an issue with the slat on the wing of the aircraft.’ The airline arranged for another aircraft to take the passengers to their final destination in Boston.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the flight landed safely at Denver International Airport around 5:15 p.m. local time and that they would investigate the incident. The passengers were transferred to another plane and arrived in Boston with a delay of about three hours.
This incident adds to a series of recent concerns regarding Boeing aircraft. Just last month, a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 during a flight. The head of the FAA has since pledged to increase oversight of aircraft manufacturing and hold Boeing accountable for any safety rule violations.
As the investigation into what caused the damage to the wing continues, passengers like Clarke and others aboard Flight 354 are likely just grateful to have their feet firmly on the ground. For now, the aviation industry and its patrons are left to ponder the implications of such incidents and the measures necessary to prevent them.
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