HONOLULU- A United Airlines (UA) flight traveling from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) made an emergency landing at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 31, 2025.
United Airlines, based in Chicago, operates daily flights between the iconic Golden Gate City and Australia’s Harbour City utilizing a Boeing 777.
According to data from FlightRadar24, the United Airlines flight UA863 took off from San Francisco at 8:31 UTC. After nearly five hours in the air, the crew declared an emergency and opted to divert to a nearby airport in the Pacific region.
Unverified reports suggest that the crew of flight UA863 experienced an engine failure, which prompted the emergency landing in Honolulu at 14:27 UTC.
This particular flight was conducted by a Boeing 777-200ER, registered as N78002. Data from Planespotters.net indicates that this aircraft is 26.7 years old and is powered by GE90 engines.
Related Incident
Earlier this year, on January 3, 2025, another United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER encountered engine failure, necessitating an emergency diversion to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
This aircraft was operating flight UA1828, journeying from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and it departed Orlando at 9:35 PM UTC. Approximately one hour into the flight, the crew encountered a mechanical issue.
The flight crew reported the engine malfunction to air traffic control and followed emergency procedures for the twin-engine aircraft.
The Boeing 777-200ER achieved a precautionary landing at Atlanta International Airport at 11:33 PM UTC, with all passengers safely disembarking at Gate 17 in Concourse E.
A passenger aboard the flight chronicled the incident on social media, sharing their experience during the crisis. According to the passenger, the pilot communicated the engine loss and the decision for diversion, with the emergency landing occurring around 40 minutes after the announcement.
The affected aircraft, registered as N221UA, is a 23.6-year-old Boeing 777-200ER, equipped with dual Pratt and Whitney PW4000 engines.
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Based on an article from aviationa2z.com: https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/06/02/united-san-francisco-sydney-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-hawaii/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=united-san-francisco-sydney-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-hawaii
