FlightFollowerUnited 737 Returns After Cockpit Window Opens During Climb
The crew heard the wind after a cockpit window opened
United Airlines Flight 1274 was climbing from Bradley International Airport toward Washington Dulles when the crew reported that a cockpit window had opened. The pilots leveled the aircraft at about 4,000 feet, declared an emergency and returned to Bradley. The aircraft landed safely about eighteen minutes after departure, and the airline later described the problem as an unlatched cockpit window.
The open window immediately affected cockpit communications
The radio recording included significant wind noise after the window opened, making normal communication more difficult. The crew responded by leveling the aircraft and requesting a return rather than continuing toward Washington.
The problem was treated as an unlatched window
Contemporary reporting quoted United as saying the aircraft returned to address an unlatched cockpit window. Public accounts did not establish whether the underlying cause was a crew action, maintenance issue or another factor.
The aircraft landed normally
The 737 returned to Bradley and landed safely. A replacement aircraft was used for the onward journey, producing a substantial delay for passengers.
The pilot told the controller: “We've had a window pop open after take-off”
Accident Facts
- Details
- United Airlines Flight UA1274 | Boeing 737-900 N66825 | 18 April 2023
Sources
- AeroInside incident report: https://www.aeroinside.com/18078/united-b739-at-hartford-on-apr-18th-2023-window-popped-open-on-takeoff
- Airportia/Aviation Herald incident report: https://www.airportia.com/news/united-b739-at-hartford-on-apr-18th-2023-window-popped-open-on-takeoff/
- AirLive contemporary report: https://airlive.net/emergency/2023/04/22/a-united-airlines-boeing-737-declared-an-emergency-after-a-cockpit-window-popped-open-in-mid-air/