A United Express flight originating in Chicago was forced to make an emergency landing in Buffalo, New York on Wednesday due to a “pressurization problem,” Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials said.
The plane dropped 28,000 feet in three minutes, going from 38,000 feet to 10,000 feet and exceeding the recommended protocols within which passengers and pilots would have enough time to get their oxygen masks on.
The FAA confirmed the problem with depressurization, although SkyWest, which operates the airline, did not mention the problem in tweeting the news that a prior report about a problem with a cabin door was unfounded.
Flight 5622 departed from O’Hare Airport at 9:32 am local time, heading to Bradley International in Hartford, Connecticut. But about two hours later the pressure suddenly dropped in the plane, CNN reported.
One passenger lost consciousness and received medical attention before being released, according to SkyWest spokesperson Marissa Snow.
It’s not yet clear what prompted the incident. There were 75 passengers on board the aircraft at the time.
The incident is under investigation.