Incident Facts
Date of Incident 13.10.2016
Classification Incident
Airline United
Aircraft Type Boeing 737-900
ICAO Type B739
Aircraft Registration N65832
Last Update: 2016-10-14 21:59:32 GMT
A United Boeing 737-900, registration N65832 performing flight UA-745 from Denver,CO to Portland,OR (USA) with 185 people on board, departed Denver’s runway 25. Upon contacting Denver Departure the crew declared emergency reporting they may have hit something on departure and needed to return to Denver. The aircraft stopped the climb at 9000 feet and entered a hold while the crew were working checklists. The crew advised they suspected a bird strike with some #1 engine (CFM56, left hand) damage. The aircraft returned for a safe landing on runway 16R about 22 minutes after departure. Emergency services reported seeing nothing out of the ordinary, the aircraft taxied to the gate.
A runway inspection of runway 25 was called just prior to the aircraft calling emergency, the runway inspection was advised the runway lights were in a maintenance lockout and needed to be checked. Subsequently the runway inspection was informed an aircraft had departed runway 25 and was returning after having hit something on departure. The result of the runway inspection could not be heard on radio.
The airport reported the aircraft received a bird strike.
A replacement Boeing 737-900 registration N68834 reached Portland with a delay of 5.5 hours.
(Following initial release of the coverage The Aviation Herald received information, that there is evidence of a core ingestion on the left hand engine. N1 had dropped and recovered associated with some yaw of the aircraft.)
(AvHerald)