CHICAGO- United Airlines (UA) Flight 1403 endured an unusually disrupted journey from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on August 27, after changing aircraft and diverting twice before passengers reached the New York area.
The Boeing 757 service was initially diverted to Las Vegas following an engine issue and later diverted again to Cleveland because of severe weather affecting the Newark area.
The flight carried 176 passengers and seven crew members when it departed Los Angeles at 6:21 a.m. local time, around 21 minutes behind schedule.
The original aircraft, a Boeing 757-200 registered N34131, encountered the engine problem while climbing through approximately 32,000 feet, forcing the crew to abandon the climb and head for Nevada.
United Flight Engine Issue Forces Diversion
The crew reported an issue involving the aircraft’s left-hand engine while Flight 1403 was climbing after departure. The pilots descended and diverted toward Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), where the Boeing 757 landed safely at around 7:00 a.m.
All passengers and crew members safely deplaned after the aircraft reached Las Vegas.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident and said it would investigate, while United has not publicly disclosed the precise nature of the engine problem.
United then arranged another Boeing 757-200, registered N13113, to continue the passengers’ journey toward Newark.
The replacement aircraft eventually departed Las Vegas at approximately 3:53 p.m., leaving passengers with several hours of disruption before the second part of their journey began.
Replacement Jet Diverts
The replacement aircraft headed east toward New Jersey, but the flight encountered another major obstacle while approaching the Newark region.
After entering a holding pattern over Pennsylvania, the aircraft diverted to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) in Ohio.
The aircraft landed in Cleveland late on August 27 and reached the gate around 12:30 a.m. on August 28. Severe weather across the northeastern United States had disrupted Newark operations, with the FAA temporarily restricting some flights headed toward the airport.
Flight-tracking records show that the Las Vegas-to-Cleveland segment was operated under the same UA1403 flight number before the Cleveland-Newark portion was ultimately cancelled.
The scheduled August 28 Los Angeles-Newark service was also cancelled, adding to the disruption surrounding the flight.
Passengers Face Long Delay
The unusual sequence left passengers facing a journey that extended far beyond the normal Los Angeles-Newark schedule.
Instead of completing the roughly five-and-a-half-hour transcontinental flight, travelers spent hours waiting in Las Vegas before continuing east and then remaining in Cleveland.
Flight-status records indicate that UA1403 eventually arrived in Cleveland rather than Newark, while passengers were expected to continue toward Newark after further arrangements were made.
The incident highlights how separate operational problems can compound during a single flight.
An aircraft-related issue triggered the first diversion, while severe weather affecting Newark contributed to the second, leaving United to manage aircraft replacement, airport congestion and passenger reaccommodation simultaneously.
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