Minor Investigation Ongoing

UA1122 - Smoke Detected in Cabin Compartment Forces Emergency Return

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM (GMT-4)
787-9
United Airlines
En route from Newark to Cape Town

United Airlines Flight UA1122 departed Newark Liberty International Airport bound for Cape Town International Airport, South Africa, with 253 passengers aboard. Approximately 75 minutes into the flight, the flight crew detected smoke in a cabin compartment. Following standard safety protocols, the pilots immediately ceased climbing and initiated a return to Newark. The aircraft made a safe landing on runway 04R. Emergency services inspected the aircraft upon landing, and all passengers were safely evacuated. The aircraft was subsequently grounded for two days for comprehensive technical inspections before being cleared to resume operations.

Aircraft & Operator Information

Aircraft
Model787-9
ManufacturerBoeing
Operator
NameUnited Airlines
IATAUA
Technical
RegistrationN27965
Additional
CountryUnited States
Fleet Size900 aircraft

Incident Location

Departure
Destination
Emergency Landing
Incident Site
Route
Emergency Route
Displayed routes are geodesic arcs that show the shortest route between destinations. The arc does not reflect a flight's actual flight path.
Departure
AirportEWR
NameNewark Liberty International Airport
Destination
AirportCPT
NameCape Town International Airport
Incident Site
En route from Newark to Cape Town
Emergency Landing
AirportEWR
NameNewark Liberty International Airport

Weather Conditions (METAR)

Raw METAR KEWR 261551Z VRB04KT 10SM SCT060 SCT250 26/09 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP165 T02560089 $=
AirportKEWR
Time3:51 PM (GMT+0)
Temperature26.0°C
Dewpoint9.0°C
WindVariable at 4 knots
Visibility 16093 m
Cloud Layer 1Scattered (SCT) 6,000ft AGL
Cloud Layer 2Scattered (SCT) 25,000ft AGL
Pressure30.02 inHg
KEWR
3:51 PM (GMT+0)
Atmospheric
Temperature26.0°C
Dewpoint9.0°C
Pressure30.02 inHg
Wind & Visibility
WindVariable at 4 knots
Visibility 16093 m
Clouds
Layers Scattered (SCT) 6,000ft AGL
  Scattered (SCT) 25,000ft AGL
Highlighted METAR entries relate to weather conditions within 30 minutes of the incident time.

Casualty Information

0Total Fatalities
0Total Injuries
253People Involved
Fatal
Injured
Uninjured
Unknown
Crew
0
0
0
0
Passengers
0
0
253
0
Total Onboard
0
0
253
0
Overall
0
0
253
0
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