SAN JOSE, CA – Passengers aboard a United Airlines flight from Denver experienced a tense conclusion to their Friday night journey after a landing gear malfunction forced pilots to declare an emergency before touching down at San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC).
United Airlines flight UA2745, operated by a Boeing 737-900ER, departed Denver International Airport at 7:42 PM MST on Friday, February 20. Despite an initial 30-minute delay on the tarmac, the flight proceeded normally for the majority of its trek across the Western United States, cruising at an altitude of 30,000 feet.
An Unexpected Detour
The routine flight took a dramatic turn as the aircraft began its final descent into the Silicon Valley area. Upon approaching the runway, the flight crew identified an issue with the landing gear.
Following standard safety protocols, the pilots:
- Aborted the initial landing, performing a “go-around.”
- Declared an emergency, broadcasting a Squawk 7700 code to alert Air Traffic Control of the situation.
- Climbed to 6,000 feet, circling the airport for several minutes to run diagnostic checklists and ensure the gear was properly locked for arrival.
Safe Arrival
After confirming the aircraft was stable, the crew executed a second approach. The Boeing 737 landed safely on Runway 30L without further incident.
In a testament to the crew’s efficiency and the “buffer” time often built into flight schedules, the aircraft arrived at Gate 7 at 9:36 PM PST—remarkably just 30 minutes behind its original scheduled arrival time.
The aircraft involved, registration N34460, is expected to undergo a thorough maintenance inspection to determine the cause of the gear indication error before returning to service.
