Flight UA-1627 | Registration: N480UA
Date: 2 April 2025 | Location: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington, DC, USA
Flight Details
• Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
• Engines: 2 × CFM56-5B4/3
• Operator: United Airlines
• Registration: N480UA
• Flight Number: UA-1627
• Callsign: UAL1627
• Route: Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Texas to Washington National Airport (DCA), District of Columbia
• Date of Incident: 2 April 2025
• Total Occupants: 150 (142 passengers, 8 crew)
• Weather Conditions: Light wind, VMC reported during approach into DCA
Introduction
On 2 April 2025, a United Airlines Airbus A320-200 operating flight UA-1627 from Houston Intercontinental to Washington National experienced a suspected hydraulic system malfunction during approach into Washington, DC. The aircraft, registered N480UA, landed safely on runway 19 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at approximately 22:55 local time. No injuries were reported among the 150 occupants, and the aircraft was returned to service the following morning after approximately nine hours of technical inspections.
The FAA categorised the event as an operational incident involving a suspected hydraulic system failure, and an investigation has been initiated to assess the root cause and verify post-flight diagnostics.
Sequence of Events
Flight UA-1627 departed Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on the evening of 2 April 2025 under standard IFR routing. The flight proceeded uneventfully through cruise, maintaining scheduled altitude and time of arrival.
During descent into Washington National (DCA), approximately 10 minutes prior to landing, the flight crew reported a suspected hydraulic issue to Washington TRACON. No emergency was declared, and the flight continued its approach under normal control conditions.
Upon alignment with runway 19, the aircraft performed a standard landing without requiring additional spacing, fire response, or deviations from ATC sequencing. Taxi was conducted under its own power. There were no abnormal visual indicators of fluid loss or smoke, and no immediate technical issue was observed from the ground.
However, upon arrival at the gate, the flight was removed from further operations and held for maintenance inspection due to the crew’s earlier report.
Crew & Communication
Shortly before final approach, the flight crew communicated with Washington TRACON, advising of a potential hydraulic anomaly. It is understood the indication may have been an ECAM alert or a noticeable degradation in system performance, although the specific nature of the fault has not been publicly disclosed.
The crew did not declare a PAN or MAYDAY but proceeded with caution under a non-normal checklist. Landing performance appeared unaffected, and no abnormal braking or nosewheel steering issues were encountered on rollout.
Post-landing communication with ground personnel and operations control resulted in the aircraft being removed from service pending full engineering assessment.
The CVR and FDR are expected to have recorded any system warnings or flight crew coordination during the anomaly, and are likely under review as part of the ongoing FAA oversight.
Aircraft Systems & Technical Analysis
The Airbus A320 features three independent hydraulic systems (Green, Blue, and Yellow), each powered by a combination of engine-driven pumps, electric pumps, and accumulators. These systems control critical functions such as flight controls, brakes, nosewheel steering, and thrust reversers.
Although the exact failure mode has not been disclosed, the continued safe landing suggests that the failure was isolated to one hydraulic circuit, with redundancy preserved by the other systems.
The most common A320 hydraulic issues include:
• Reservoir fluid leakage
• Pump failure
• Overheat warnings
• Actuator pressure loss
• Sensor anomalies or false-positive alerts
Based on the fact that the aircraft landed and taxied normally, it is plausible that the issue involved a non-primary system or an intermittent fault, such as an ECAM-generated warning triggered by sensor fluctuation or momentary loss of pressure.
Maintenance teams at Washington likely performed reservoir level checks, accumulator pressure readings, pump integrity tests, and electronic system diagnostics during the nine-hour grounding period.
Passenger Experience & Cabin Conditions
No unusual events were reported by passengers during the flight. The cabin remained stable, and there were no interruptions to in-flight services. The crew did not make any PA announcements relating to a hydraulic issue during descent, indicating that the issue was either contained or deemed non-critical at the time.
After landing, passengers disembarked routinely, with no emergency services present at the gate. There were no injuries reported, and the event did not escalate beyond technical monitoring.
Emergency Response & Aftermath
No emergency response was activated at DCA, and airport operations were not disrupted. Runway 19 remained open, and no delays or diversions were reported as a result of the incident.
United Airlines’ maintenance personnel conducted an overnight inspection of N480UA at Washington National Airport. The aircraft returned to service approximately nine hours after landing, suggesting a minor system reset, sensor replacement, or clearance after confirming no active hydraulic leakage or damage.
The FAA’s notification confirmed that the aircraft had a “possible hydraulic issue” and landed safely without incident. No further delays were reported in the United A320 fleet schedule at DCA.
Investigation Status
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a standard investigation into the reported hydraulic anomaly. This will include reviewing the aircraft’s maintenance history, onboard system diagnostics, and crew reports.
At the time of writing, no airworthiness directive (AD) or service bulletin (SB) has been issued in relation to this event. The incident is being treated as an isolated systems irregularity pending further data analysis.
No NTSB involvement has been indicated, suggesting that the scope of investigation remains within FAA domain unless further issues arise.
Root Cause & Contributing Factors
The root cause remains under investigation, but likely scenarios include:
• False sensor reading triggering hydraulic alert
• Transient loss of pressure in one hydraulic circuit
• Minor leak or valve malfunction not immediately affecting performance
• Software or ECAM display fault reporting incorrect status
Redundancy in Airbus’ hydraulic architecture likely mitigated any risk to safe operations. The crew’s professional handling and appropriate reporting ensured procedural compliance without escalation.
Safety Recommendations & Industry Impact
While the event did not require emergency action, it underscores the importance of:
• Timely and accurate reporting of system anomalies
• Thorough post-flight maintenance protocols
• Routine review of sensor performance and hydraulic monitoring thresholds
This incident may prompt operators to audit hydraulic sensor reliability and review procedures for crew response to ambiguous ECAM messages that do not immediately degrade flight capability.
If a systemic fault or component issue is identified, Airbus and the FAA may issue advisory guidance to operators of the A320 family regarding monitoring or replacement of specific hydraulic components.
Conclusion
This incident involving United Airlines flight UA-1627 demonstrates the critical role of system redundancy and flight crew vigilance in managing potential failures. Hydraulic systems are essential to flight safety, but their triple-redundant design in the A320 ensures that isolated faults do not compromise aircraft controllability.
The crew’s handling of the anomaly, adherence to procedures, and the uneventful outcome affirm the strength of existing safety systems and training. Nonetheless, technical review and operational feedback from this event will contribute to future refinements in aircraft monitoring and response protocols.
Disclaimer
This article is based on publicly available information and reports at the time of writing. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we cannot guarantee the completeness of the information provided.
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