Incident Overview
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). The flight was a domestic passenger service to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. There were no injuries to the 2 flight crew, 9 cabin crew, or 239 passengers on board.
Flight and Crew Actions
According to flight crew statements, the pre-flight, taxi, and takeoff from runway 25R were uneventful. The First Officer was pilot flying, and the Captain was pilot monitoring. While climbing through 17,000 feet, strong vibrations were felt in the controls, and decreasing left engine N2 speed was observed. A compressor stall and a L ENGINE FIRE message appeared on the engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) shortly afterward. 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, and a second fire bottle was discharged. The crew declared an emergency, advised ATC of a suspected engine fire, requested clearance for an immediate return to LAX, and asked for airport crash and fire rescue (CFR) assistance. Intermittent fire warnings continued during the return.
The crew performed a single-engine ILS approach and landing on Runway 25L without incident. After landing, the L ENGINE FIRE EICAS warning returned, and the crew decided to stop taxi and evacuate while on the taxiway. During evacuation preparations, a flight attendant reported seeing fire coming from the left engine.
Post-Landing Evacuation
Aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) personnel brought airstairs to right-side door R1, and slides were deployed for right-side doors R2 and R3. The Captain remained on board to assist firefighters sweeping the aircraft, while the First Officer went outside to facilitate passenger evacuation.
Investigation
Post-incident examination revealed sooting and thermal damage concentrated around the engine core module’s external surfaces, extending toward the pylon connection. Both thrust reverser halves showed minimal thermal damage. Borescope inspection found damage in the high-pressure turbine. The NTSB invited qualified parties, including the Federal Aviation Administration, The Boeing Company, United Airlines, and General Electric Aerospace, to participate. NTSB specialists from Flight Data Recorders, Materials, and Powerplants are supporting the investigation. The investigation remains ongoing.