Federal investigators reported on Thursday that a miscommunication between pilots led a United Airlines jet to dive within 748 feet of the ocean’s surface shortly after taking off from Hawaii in December. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated in their final report that the crew failed to manage the plane’s vertical path, airspeed, and nose direction due to a mix-up between the captain and the co-pilot.
The incident occurred during a heavy rain at Kahului Airport on the island of Maui. After a normal takeoff, the captain requested the co-pilot to reset the wing flaps. However, the co-pilot misheard “15” instead of the intended “five”. This led to the plane pitching downward and accelerating.
The co-pilot realized the severity of the situation as they broke through the cloud cover and saw the ocean rapidly approaching. He repeatedly urged the captain to pull up, with the plane’s ground proximity warning system also sounding an alarm.
From an altitude of over 2,200 feet, the Boeing 777 plunged more than 1,400 feet toward the Pacific Ocean before the pilots were able to recover, according to the NTSB.
Despite the harrowing experience, the flight continued onto San Francisco as the chief flight attendant reported that everyone was okay and there was no visible damage to the plane. United Airlines confirmed that both pilots are still flying for them and stressed the importance of safety for their crew and customers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates airlines, noted that the United pilots reported the incident voluntarily under a safety-reporting program. The FAA stated it reviewed the incident and took appropriate action.