A United Airlines Boeing 767-300 operating across the North Atlantic was forced to divert to Shannon Airport after the crew encountered problems with one of its engines.
United flight UA938 was operating from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to London Heathrow with 173 people on board when the crew elected to divert to Shannon after experiencing an issue with the aircraft’s left-hand engine.
The Boeing 767 subsequently declared a Mayday before safely landing at Shannon Airport.
United 767 Diverts to Shannon
The aircraft involved was Boeing 767-322ER, registration N674UA, operating United’s scheduled UA938 service from Chicago O’Hare to London Heathrow.
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft departed Chicago at approximately 03:51 UTC on September 21, corresponding to the evening of September 20 in Chicago.
The flight was operating normally across the North Atlantic before the crew decided to divert toward Ireland.
Flightradar24 subsequently recorded the flight as diverted to Shannon.
At the time of the diversion, the Boeing 767 was cruising at FL370, or approximately 37,000 feet, around 280 nautical miles west of Shannon.
The crew had identified problems affecting the aircraft’s left-hand engine and decided that diverting to Shannon was the appropriate course of action.
The crew subsequently declared Mayday, the international distress call used when an aircraft and its occupants are considered to be facing a serious and imminent situation requiring immediate assistance.
Despite the emergency declaration, the Boeing 767 continued towards Ireland and subsequently made a safe landing on Runway 24 at Shannon Airport, approximately 45 minutes after the diversion decision.
There were no reports of injuries among the 173 people on board.
Aircraft Remains On The Ground At Shannon
Following the landing, N674UA remained at Shannon while the aircraft was inspected and engineers assessed the reported engine problem.
The aircraft had still not continued its journey to London several hours after landing, with the Boeing 767 remaining on the ground at Shannon approximately 5.5 hours after the incident, according to the information available at the time.
Flightradar24’s flight history confirms the diversion to Shannon and subsequently shows the aircraft assigned to operate the return sector from Shannon to London Heathrow.
The disruption also resulted in the aircraft’s planned onward operation being affected, with United having to make changes to its scheduled fleet operation following the diversion.
A 26-Year-Old Boeing 767
N674UA is a Boeing 767-322ER operated by United Airlines.
According to Planespotters.net, the aircraft which declared the emergency and diverted to Shannon carries manufacturer serial number 29242 and was delivered to United Airlines in April 2000.
The aircraft first flew on January 26, 2000, making it approximately 26 years old.
It was originally built as a Boeing 767-322ER before receiving winglets in March 2012 and being designated a Boeing 767-322ER(WL).
The aircraft has remained an active member of United’s widebody fleet for more than two decades.
Flight tracking records also show that N674UA had been operating extensively across United’s international network in the days before the incident, including services between Chicago, London, Newark, Naples and other destinations.
Investigation Into Engine Problem
At this stage, the precise nature of the engine problem has not been established publicly.
The aircraft’s safe landing at Shannon means that investigators and maintenance personnel can now examine the affected engine and determine what caused the reported issue.
A diversion to Shannon is particularly significant for transatlantic aircraft because the airport is equipped to handle large widebody aircraft and serves as an important diversion point for flights crossing the North Atlantic.
For the passengers aboard UA938, what began as a routine overnight flight from Chicago to London therefore ended with an unexpected landing in Ireland.
The Boeing 767’s arrival at Shannon brought the emergency to a safe conclusion, with the aircraft remaining on the ground while further technical checks were carried out.
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