KansasMike

There has been talk about the down-gauging of SDF-DEN from mainline to ERJ-145's and how they have had to make fuel stops short of DEN in the past. It apparently is happening now because #4624 has been diverted to ICT with a "general emergency."

There are strong west to east headwinds across the Great Plains today so I'm guessing the diversion is due to a fuel shortage. Anyone have better information?

chermorg

An emergency would likely have only been declared if they were at or near min fuel at the time. I have never heard of an emergency being declared for a simple unplanned fuel stop. I further would question why an emergency would be necessary.

jhayes_1780

Can you maybe check your flight numbers and stuff?
Are you refering to SDF or SGF?
Also, Flight 4624 doesn't leave til 8pm tonight.

KansasMike

I was referring to SDF. That was the info I received from the emergency people -- which is why I posted trying to get more info.

Yes, you are correct that 4624 is from SGF to DEN at 8pm tonight.

If anyone has more info, I'd be happy to receive it.

Addition: Confirmed the flight originated in SGF.

WineCountryUA

Not see any SDF-DEN diversion for UA or other airlines for Monday, 5 March 2018 (on united.com or flightaware) -- do you have a flight number or any other verifiable information?

UA 4766 arrived 17 minutes early

UA 4741 SGF-DEN has diverted to ICT after overflying -- looks like unplanned incident requiring immediate attention
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...515Z/KSGF/KICT

CleUnited

SDF - DEN was flight 4766 which made it to DEN earlier this morning 17 min early. SGF - DEN is 4741 which did divert to ICT. Current winds at DEN are 270 32g52kt. It has been that way most of the morning. I woke up to howling winds shaking my house. Winds aloft have been near 80-100 kts blowing west to east at altitude from the noaa website. It's been a fun moring already at DEN.

runner450

i think you guys are looking for 05-4741, which diverted to ICT because of code DO which is 'system control'

WineCountryUA

FAA is reporting

mduell

Reading between the lines, I'd guess they didn't have the fuel to wait out the holding to arrive DEN given the ATC constraints due to winds.

chermorg

It wouldn't necessarily be the TMP that caused the diversion, but if they had passed ICT and gotten hold information from ZDV they may have decided it best to divert to ICT instead of continuing into the hold.

All of this considered, I still see absolutely no reason a fuel issue that did not have them at min-fuel at this point would merit a 7700 squawk nor an emergency declaration. I am still of the opinion that there must have been something else going on (mx or pax related) to cause the emergency to be declared.

edit to clarify my view - if a plane is not near min-fuel (as this one should not have been at this point in the flight), it is not an emergency to divert for fuel. It is a standard landing, and does not merit the priority handling, worry, and emergency standby that a squawk 7700 or declaration of emergency would cause.

bhunt

Flew in and out of DEN yesterday. Flight in we were blowing sideways pretty good in A320. Flight out was mod bumpy till flight level in E175.