An unsettling incident recently took place for the passengers and crew of United Flight 354.
Kevin Clarke, a passenger aboard a Boston-bound flight, looking forward to a routine journey from San Francisco. Little did he know, his flight would be anything but ordinary. As the Boeing 757-200 took to the skies, everything seemed as per schedule except he heard a buzzing that seemed to go away.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot announced an unexpected diversion to Denver. Confused and concerned, Kevin decided to see for himself what prompted this sudden change. What he saw was nothing short of astonishing—the right wing’s slat was visibly damaged, with chunks missing, a sight that would send shivers down the spine of even the most seasoned traveler.
Kevin recalls the moment vividly, “I’m like bird strike? That’s not good. We take off, I hear this loud buzzing noise, and then it fades away. But then, the pilot decides to turn back, and that’s when I saw it— the whole leading edge of the wing was destroyed.”
Kevin captured this harrowing experience on his cell phone, narrating the tense moments as the aircraft prepared to land in Denver, “Just about to land in Denver with the wing coming apart on the plane. Can’t wait for this flight to be over.”
According to Clarke, the pilot was as cool as ice.
“First there was some panic, but the pilot had come back, looked at it, took some pictures of it, talked to the guys on the ground, said yup, proceed to Denver, shouldn’t be a problem,” said Clarke.
Upon the emergency landing, Kevin, along with the other 164 passengers, boarded a new plane, eventually reaching Logan Airport, albeit three hours behind schedule. Despite the ordeal, Kevin felt a profound sense of gratitude for being alive, praising the pilot and crew for their professionalism during the crisis.
United Airlines responded promptly, stating, “United Flight 354 diverted to Denver yesterday afternoon to address an issue with the slat on the wing of the aircraft. The flight landed safely, and we arranged for a different aircraft to take customers to their destination.”
The incident follows several mishaps. However, it appears the flight had a great crew.
A United flight from San Francisco to Boston had to be diverted to Denver after it was discovered mid-air a portion of the wing was damaged. Passenger Kevin Clarke took this video. What he says he saw before getting on the plane on @boston25 this morning. pic.twitter.com/0GIaOmS46t
— Kelly Sullivan (@ksullivannews) February 20, 2024
