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United Airlines diverts Boeing 777-200ER to London after mid-flight airframe vibrations

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United Airlines diverts Boeing 777-200ER to London after mid-flight airframe vibrations
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Scott Kirby, chief executive officer | United Airlines

A United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER, operating as flight UA939 from London Heathrow to San Francisco International Airport, diverted back to London on September 28, 2025, after pilots reported airframe vibrations during the flight. The aircraft, registered as N788UA, was cruising at 32,000 feet over northern England when the incident occurred.

According to Flightradar24.com data, the plane diverted less than an hour into its journey. The crew performed a holding pattern and consulted with maintenance and dispatch teams before deciding to shut down Engine 1 and dump fuel prior to landing safely on Heathrow’s Runway 27L. There were 271 passengers and 13 crew members onboard; no injuries were reported. All passengers were accommodated on other United Airlines flights.

Planespotters.net records show that N788UA is a Boeing 777-200ER delivered in 1997 and powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4090 engines. The aircraft has served United for over 28 years and features a seating configuration of 50 Polaris seats, 24 Premium Plus seats, and 202 economy seats.

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After the incident, the aircraft remained grounded at Heathrow for about 24 hours before being ferried to San Francisco for further inspection. It is scheduled to return to commercial service on October 1, 2025.

The cause of the vibrations has not been confirmed. However, since the crew chose to shut down the number one engine during the event, it suggests a possible engine-related issue. The Pratt & Whitney PW4090 engines used on this model are older and have been out of production for some time.

The PW4000 engine series has experienced notable issues in recent years. Two uncontained engine failures involving United Airlines’ Boeing 777s occurred in February 2018 (flight UA1175) and February 2021 (flight UA328), both en route from mainland US airports to Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The latter incident led authorities to ground Pratt & Whitney-powered Boeing 777 fleets for investigations and modifications. These events are more reflective of United’s large fleet of PW4000-powered aircraft rather than operational practices specific to the airline.

United Airlines maintains regular safety protocols for its aging fleet but acknowledges that mechanical issues can arise as aircraft and engines get older.

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