United Airlines flight from Newark makes emergency landing in D.C.
A United Airlines flight from Newark was forced to make an emergency landing in Washington D.C. due to an unruly passenger attempting to open a door at 36,000 feet. The flight, which was headed to Guatemala City, landed safely and was met by law enforcement. The incident resulted in the cancellation of the flight, with passengers provided accommodations for the night.
- ▪The flight was United Airlines Flight 1551, a Boeing 737 Max 8.
- ▪An unruly passenger attempted to open a door mid-flight and assaulted another passenger.
- ▪The plane landed safely in Washington D.C. at 8:38 p.m. and was met by law enforcement.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Local News United Airlines flight from Newark makes emergency landing in D.C. after passenger attempts to open door at 36,000 feet, pilot says By CBS New York Team Updated on: May 22, 2026 / 4:44 AM EDT / CBS New York Add CBS News on Google A United Airlines flight from Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to make an emergency landing in Washington D.C. on Thursday night.The pilot reported to air traffic control that an unruly passenger on Flight 1551, a Boeing 737 Max 8 bound for Guatemala City with 145 passengers and six crew members on board, tried to open a door mid-flight — at 36,000 feet.The plane landed safely in Washington at 8:38 p.m.United told CBS News in a statement that the flight "was met by law enforcement to address an unruly passenger.
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