In the last few moments, a United Airlines flight from Chicago declared an emergency whilst on approach to Grand Rapids.
Information is limited surrounding the incident at hand.
Below is what we know on this so far.
United Airlines UA2622 Chicago-Grand Rapids…
United Airlines flight UA2622, which declared the emergency, is a routine scheduled flight between Chicago and Grand Rapids.
It departed from O’Hare late at 1456 local time on January 18, and proceeded towards Grand Rapids.
Everything was normal in the flight until the arrival into it’s destination.
At around 4,500 feet, the crew declared an emergency via the 7700 squawk code, used for serious incidents.
Not too long after that, the aircraft landed without further incident.
It taxied to the gate fine without any further challenges.
Aircraft Involved in the Emergency: N1902U…
The aircraft involved in the incident is N1902U.
The Airbus A320-232 registered as N1902U, currently flying under United Airlines, carries a rich operational history spanning nearly two decades, two continents, and multiple leasing arrangements.
Built in Toulouse, France, and first flown on February 24, 2006, this aircraft—manufacturer serial number 2714—has proven its durability and adaptability across varied airline configurations and incident recoveries.
Originally delivered to China Southern Airlines on March 17, 2006, the aircraft bore the registration B-6278. It was initially configured with 8 business and 144 economy seats (C8Y144), powered by two IAE V2527-A5 engines.
Over its tenure in China, the aircraft underwent several leasing transitions.
After more than a decade of service in Asia, the aircraft was withdrawn from use on September 26, 2017.
Re-registered as N1902U, the aircraft was delivered to United Airlines on November 27, 2017, and entered service on August 18, 2018.
It was reconfigured to a more premium-heavy layout of 12 business and 138 economy seats (C12Y138), retaining its IAE V2527-A5 engines and assigned fleet number 4902.
On March 22, 2023, N1902U suffered a tail strike during landing at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Remarkably, the damage went unnoticed initially, and the aircraft continued to operate seven additional sectors before being grounded. It was subsequently stored at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) from March 25 to April 21, and then at IAH until October 15, 2023.
After extensive checks and repairs, the aircraft returned to active service on October 15, 2023, demonstrating the resilience of its airframe and the thoroughness of United’s maintenance protocols.
As of November 6, 2025, N1902U remains active in United’s fleet, nearly 20 years since its first flight.
From its origins in China to its current role in the U.S., this A320 has navigated a complex operational journey—marked by multiple leases, cabin reconfigurations, and a notable incident—yet continues to serve reliably in commercial aviation.
Reason for Emergency in Grand Rapids Unclear…
At this time, the reason for the emergency onboard United Airlines flight UA2422 Chicago-Grand Rapids is unclear.
What we do know is that it is serious enough to prompt a declaration, and to be given priority landing too.
As soon as we have more information pertinent to this, then we will update you accordingly.
For now, this remains a developing story.
Continue to follow The Aviation Hub for more analysis and insight!
