# NTSB DCA26LA184: Boeing 787-9, N24972, Los Angeles, CA, March 2, 2026 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: March 2, 2026, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Los Angeles, CA - Coordinates: 33.942368, -118.40354 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9424&lon=-118.4035&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 250 uninjured - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: GE Aerospace, Boeing, FAA, United - NTSB case key (mKey): 202579 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA26LA184 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202579/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA184 ## Preliminary report On March 2, 2026, at 1100 Pacific Standard Time, United Airlines flight 2127, a Boeing 787-9, registration N24972, powered by two General Electric GEnx™-1B76A/P2 turbofan engines, experienced a No. 1 (left) engine surge during climb from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California. There were no injuries to the 2 flight crew, 9 cabin crew, or 239 passengers on board. United Airlines operated the airplane as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 domestic passenger flight destined for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey. According to the flight crew statements, the flight began with an uneventful pre-flight, taxi, and takeoff from runway 25R. The First Officer was the pilot flying and the Captain was the pilot monitoring. While climbing through 17,000 feet, they experienced strong vibrations in the controls and observed decreasing left engine N2 speed. A compressor stall and a L ENGINE FIRE message was displayed on the engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) shortly after. The First Officer transferred controls to the Captain and began executing the engine fire checklist. One fire bottle was discharged and the engine fire warning extinguished after about 30 seconds. The warning returned on the EICAS, and the second fire bottle was discharged. The crew declared an emergency, advised ATC of a suspected engine fire, requested clearance for immediate return to LAX, and asked for airport crash and fire rescue (CFR) assistance. The crew continued receiving intermittent fire warnings during their return to LAX. A single engine, ILS approach and landing on Runway 25L was accomplished without incident. After landing, the L ENGINE FIRE EICAS warning returned and the crew decided to stop taxi and evacuate while still on the taxiway. While the crew was performing the evacuation checklist and informing passengers, a flight attendant told them she saw fire coming from the left engine. Aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) personnel brought airstairs to right-side door R1 and slides were deployed for the remaining right-side doors R2 and R3. The Captain stayed onboard to assist firefighters sweeping the aircraft while the First Officer went outside to assist passenger evacuation. Figure 1: Airport ARFF response after landing Post-incident examination of the airplane found sooting and thermal damage concentrated around the engine core module’s external surfaces and extending up toward the pylon connection. Both left and right thrust reverser halves showed minimal thermal damage. Borescope inspection found damage in the high-pressure turbine. Figure 2: Right side of No. 1 engine with inboard thrust reverser half opened The NTSB invited qualified parties to participate in the investigation, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Boeing Company, United Airlines, and General Electric Aerospace. NTSB specialists supporting this investigation include Flight Data Recorders, Materials,and Powerplants. The investigation is ongoing. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 787-9, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=1385609), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340); cases with it: [Boeing 787-9, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=1385609), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N24972](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N24972), registered now, S/N 40939, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 787-9 - Registry model: [Boeing 787-9](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-787-9) (registry code 1385609) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE GENX series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-genx-series) (registry code 30163, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 40939 - Year built: 2018 - Damage: No damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Airlines Inc - Registered owner: United Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Destination: EWR, Newark, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: LAX, Los Angeles Intl, runway 07R/25L, 11,095 × 200 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 22,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 57 °F - Observed at: KLAX ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20260302010669I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260302010669I), Mar 2, 2026: Boeing 787-9, Los Angeles, CA, Minor damage. On March 2, 2026, [privacy data omitted] experienced a left engine fire during climb. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 with genx engines departed Los Angeles… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.