Boeing 787 accident near Pacific Ocean, PO, February 3, 2019
On February 3, 2019 at about 1:10 am local time, a 2014 Boeing 787, registered N26909, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pacific Ocean, PO. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 220 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadvertent slip and fall that resulted in a serious injury.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 2019 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Pacific Ocean, PO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 220 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 787 8, built 2014 · all 787s on the register
- Registration
- N26909 · registry record · serial 34827
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On February 3, 2019, about 0110 UTC, United Airlines flight 9, N26909, a Boeing 787-800, was enroute to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu, China (ZUUU) over the Gulf of Alaska when a flight attendant slipped and fell and sustained a serious injury. The remaining 13 crew and 207 passengers were not injured. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled international passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from San Francisco International Airport (KSFO), San Francisco, California. According to the flight crew, the flight attendant lost her grip on the handrail while climbing the stairs to the crew rest area and fell down the stairs. After arrival the flight attendant went to a medical center and was diagnosed with a broken tibia.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Cabin safety event during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Cabin crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,383 hours in all; 2,039 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 9, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,326 hours in all; 1,203 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 23, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KSFO San Francisco CA at 11:10 am
- Destination: CTU Chengdu OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 9 | ||
| Flight crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 207 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.