A United Airlines flight from Sarasota, Florida, made an emergency landing at the nearest airport due to an “open door” indicator light.
United Flight 2434, en route to Chicago, diverted to Tampa International Airport, landing safely at 4:35 p.m.
The plane, carrying 123 passengers and five crew members, made the precautionary landing to address a potential mechanical issue, according to a United spokesperson.
While it’s unclear if the problem was directly linked to the “open door” light, Tampa International Airport received a call referencing this issue when runway space was requested for the emergency landing.
Notably, United Airlines operates Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners, similar to the one involved in Alaska Airlines’ recent door plug incident.
However, the diverted plane in this case was an Airbus A319. The FAA has grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes for enhanced inspections following discoveries of loose hardware by both United and Alaska Airlines.
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon, experienced a dramatic emergency landing last Friday after a door plug blew off, causing rapid depressurization at 16,000 feet.
Miraculously, none of the 171 passengers and six crew members were seriously injured, despite the forceful event that led to items, including a teenager’s shirt and passengers’ belongings, being sucked out of the plane.
