United Flight UA1023 Declares Mayday Fuel Emergency After Aborted Landing

On October 30, 2026, United Airlines flight UA1023 experienced a critical situation when its Boeing 757-200 aircraft aborted a landing attempt at San Francisco International Airport. The flight, originating from Boston Logan International Airport, subsequently declared a Mayday fuel emergency before landing safely. The incident involved 91 passengers and six crew members, with no reported injuries.

Unstable Approach Leads to Go-Around

Air traffic control had cleared United flight UA1023 to land on Runway 28R. Pilots were also alerted to potential wake turbulence from a preceding Boeing 787 Dreamliner and a slight tailwind of five knots. Despite these advisories, the aircraft began to climb at approximately 75 feet, indicating an unstable approach. The flight crew later cited this unstable approach as the reason for the go-around.

Mayday Declared Amid Fuel Concerns

Following the go-around, the flight crew declared a Mayday fuel emergency to air traffic control. The aircraft climbed to 5,000 feet, reporting 5,200 lbs of fuel remaining. This fuel level was reportedly close to the minimum threshold for the Boeing 757-200. Controllers cleared the flight for another landing attempt on Runway 28R, and the aircraft landed without further incident at 11:24 AM.

Understanding Fuel Regulations and Emergency Calls

Federal regulations, specifically 14 CFR 121.639, mandate that domestic airline flights must carry enough fuel to reach their destination, plus any required alternate airport, and an additional 45 minutes of flying at normal cruising consumption. This reserve fuel requirement is established at dispatch and takeoff. However, it does not dictate the exact amount of fuel remaining during a landing sequence.

Pilots have specific protocols for communicating fuel status. A “minimum fuel” advisory indicates that a flight cannot accept further delays without jeopardizing its planned reserve. This is not an emergency declaration and does not automatically grant priority handling. A Mayday call, conversely, is a more urgent declaration of an emergency, requiring immediate assistance and priority from air traffic control. Pilots are instructed to repeat “Mayday” three times when making such a call. While a Mayday call signals a critical fuel situation, it does not necessarily mean the aircraft is on the verge of running out of fuel. It signifies that the remaining fuel requires immediate attention, and the crew cannot tolerate any additional delays.

Discrepancy in Emergency Declaration

A spokesperson for United Airlines stated that the crew did not declare an emergency, despite the radio transmission including the Mayday call. The aircraft also did not switch its transponder to code 7700, which is typically used to signify an emergency. However, Federal Aviation Administration guidance suggests that crews already communicating with controllers should maintain their assigned transponder code unless directed otherwise by Air Traffic Control. The decision to declare a Mayday ultimately rests with the pilots, based on their assessment of the remaining fuel and the operational situation.

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