United Airlines Flight 826 (1997)

Not to be confused with United Airlines Flight 826 (1960).

United Airlines Flight 826

Incident summary
Date	December 28, 1997
Type	clear-air turbulence
Site	Pacific Ocean
Passengers	374
Crew	19
Fatalities	1
Survivors	392
Aircraft type	Boeing 747-122
Operator	United Airlines
Tail number	N4723U
Flight origin	Narita International Airport
Destination	Honolulu International Airport

On December 28, 1997, Flight 826 was a Boeing 747-100 flying from Narita International Airport, Japan to Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii. Two hours into the flight, at 9400 meters (31,000 ft), the plane received reports of severe clear-air turbulence in the area and the seat belt sign was turned on. Moments later, the aircraft suddenly dropped around 30 meters (100 ft), seriously injuring many passengers, although there was no damage to the aircraft. The plane turned around and landed safely back in Tokyo, but was not put back in service since it had been scheduled to be retired in early 1998. One passenger died of her injuries after landing in Tokyo.

United now uses the Flight 826 designation flying from Guam to Tokyo-Narita using a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. The flight route designation, however, for United's flight from Narita to Honolulu is now Flight 880 using a Boeing 777.

External links

• Accident description for 1997 incident at the Aviation Safety Network
• CNN - NTSB examines data recorder from turbulent United flight