"Just 5 Seconds Late..." A Major Passenger Plane Accident Nearly Happened in Hawaii

A Thrilling Moment with Only 236m Left to Sea Level
Incident Occurred Last December, Airline "Investigating the Case"

It was recently revealed that a United Airlines 777 passenger plane that took off from Hawaii last December suddenly plunged over the Pacific Ocean surface right after takeoff but barely regained altitude. CNN reported that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident.

The accident occurred last December at Kahului Airport on Maui Island, Hawaii. United Airlines flight 1772, operating a Boeing 777, plunged 434 meters toward the Pacific at an altitude of 670 meters just one minute after takeoff, then barely climbed back up. The remaining distance to the sea surface was 236 meters, and if it had been delayed by 5 to 6 seconds, it could have resulted in a major crash. Fortunately, the plane avoided crashing at the last moment, and no injuries were reported.

Rod Williams, who was on board the flight with his family, told CNN in an interview, "Right after takeoff, it rapidly ascended with a terrifying force. It felt like being at the very top of a roller coaster. Everyone felt something was wrong." He added, "Then it plunged sharply for about 8 to 10 seconds before climbing steeply again and flying normally."

Photo by AP Yonhap News

He said, "When the plane plunged, screams erupted everywhere. But since there were children on board, I tried my best to stay calm." He explained, "Later, I learned that about 5 seconds later, we could have hit the sea surface. I am grateful to the pilots who worked hard to regain control."

It is reported that the pilots of this flight each have 25,000 hours of flight experience. CNN reported that the pilots have been receiving additional training since the incident. United Airlines is investigating the cause of the accident jointly with the FAA and the pilots’ union.

According to CNN, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also stated that it "will investigate the incident" and expects a preliminary report within 2 to 3 weeks. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Weather Service reported that Kahului experienced record daily rainfall on the day of the accident.