October 12, 2026 — A United Airlines (UA) Boeing 767-300ER flying from Washington Dulles to Amsterdam declared an emergency over the Atlantic late on Sunday, October 11, after a warning about one of its two engines. It diverted to St. John’s, Newfoundland. No injuries were reported.
What happened
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Flight | UA946, Washington Dulles (IAD) to Amsterdam (AMS) |
| Aircraft | Boeing 767-300ER, registration N644UA (about 35 years old, per AirLive) |
| Departed | About 8:30 p.m. EDT, Sunday, October 11 |
| Problem | A cockpit warning about one engine, roughly four hours into the flight. The crew squawked 7700 and turned back. |
| Diverted to | St. John’s International (YYT), Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Injuries | None reported |
| Onward travel for passengers | TBA |
This is United’s second transatlantic widebody diversion in a few days. On October 10, Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported that a United 777 made a steep descent over the Atlantic after a cockpit windscreen cracked.
What it means for non-revs
- Expect IAD–AMS to be tight for a day or two. A full 767 load of passengers has to be re-accommodated, and they go ahead of standby travelers on the next Dulles–Amsterdam departures and on alternate routings through Newark and Chicago.
- Watch for aircraft swaps. Taking a widebody out of service while it is inspected in St. John’s can cause equipment changes on other 767 routes, and a smaller aircraft means fewer open seats.
- Check loads before you list on United transatlantic flights from Washington early this week.
Sources
- AirLive — A United 35-year-old Boeing 767 to Amsterdam is declaring an emergency and diverting to Canada
- Paddle Your Own Kanoo — United Airlines Boeing 777 makes steep descent over the Atlantic after cockpit windscreen cracks
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