United 777 Plunges to Within 800 Feet of Ocean

By Greg Wallace, CNN

(CNN) – A United Airlines 777 took a nosedive and plunged to within 800 feet of the ocean shortly after takeoff from an airport in Hawaii last December.

In less than 21 seconds, the Boeing jet dropped 1,425 feet from an altitude of 2,200 feet shortly after takeoff from Kahului on the island of Maui, according to the data from FlightRadar24. The plane gained speed as it dropped before the pilots were able to regain control of the aircraft and continue with the climb and onto its destination.

Neither United nor the FAA indicated anyone was injured on United Flight 1722 on December 18.

The data suggest the remainder of the flight was uneventful.

United said it conducted an investigation with the FAA and the pilots union “that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training,” adding the investigation is ongoing.

The pilots have a combined 25,000 hours of flight time.

“The United Airlines flight crew reported the incident to the FAA as part of a voluntary safety reporting program. The agency reviewed the incident and took appropriate action,” the FAA told CNN.

Although the weather at the exact time is unclear, the National Weather Service reported the day set a daily record for rainfall at Kahului.

The incident, which is coming to light only now, was first reported by the website Air Current.

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