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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Julia Carrie Wong

United flight from Hawaii plunged to within 800ft of Pacific Ocean

A United plane at San Francisco airport, where the plane was heading.
A United plane at San Francisco airport, where the plane was heading. Photograph: Louis Nastro/Reuters

A United flight from Maui to San Francisco plummeted to less than 800ft above the Pacific Ocean shortly after takeoff in December, an apparent near crash and previously unreported safety incident revealed by airline industry publication the Air Current.

Flight tracking data analysis revealed that the Boeing 777-200 had reached an altitude of roughly 2,200ft when it began a steep dive, descending at a rate of about 8,600ft a minute. After dipping below 775ft, the flight recovered altitude and traveled to San Francisco without further issue.

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