NTSB issues Final Report on United's RTO in Houston (02/2025), including of a section on Passenger Non-Compliance during Emergency Evacuation [Link is a PDF Direct Download]
Posted by railker@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 66 comments
One highlight from the chaotic evacuation, in addition to the 2L slide being deployed with the engine still running (for which it's unclear if the slide failed due to being used before inflated or the jetblast from the idling engine):
[...] as soon as the [2L] door opened, the three male passengers moved past [the FA] and started sliding down the 2L slide before it was completely deployed. After they went down the slide, it started to deflate. She [...] instructed the rest of the passengers to wait as the slide was no longer functional.
Unsurprisingly, carry-on baggage comes up again as a note to impeding both the Flight Attendant's ability to evaluate the situation (along with passengers standing in the aisle) as well as the subsequent evacuation, "requiring crew intervention."
reddituserperson1122@reddit
What about a system that locks the overheads in an emergency?
railker@reddit (OP)
Cost/Benefit isn't there. People would just do dumber shit to get their stuff, and if you classify it as a safety system now it's a) expensive af because airplane parts, b) requires testing every latch on every overhead bin on a regular basis, jacking up maintenance time and expense and c) your plane's potentially grounded if one fails. Imagine missing your connecting flight because the bin latch system shit the bed and wouldn't unlock any of the doors.
Now, locking seat belts ... 😅 ^(/s)
reddituserperson1122@reddit
You could just start telling people that the bins lock in an emergency…
Wezpa@reddit
"I tried and the overhead bins wasn't locked. So I assumed it wasn't a real 'emergency emergency' despite the cabin crew constant yelling to evacuate. I therefore assumed I was okey to grab my bag"
reddituserperson1122@reddit
There are many good objections here but I don't think this one is particularly plausible.
Wezpa@reddit
What I'm trying to say is, people do stupid things in a panic. The suggestion above about the safety brief mentioning that the bins will be locked in an evacuation, will be about as effective as the current safety briefing (at least on the airlines I fly with) "in case of an evacuation, leave all belongings behind". Which do far really doesn't seem effective based on recent events.
reddituserperson1122@reddit
I don’t agree with your logic but I understand your opinion.
reddituserperson1122@reddit
Lol
itsacutedragon@reddit
Aren’t there medical supplies in the overheads too
LightningGeek@reddit
Depends on the aircraft and the airlines configuration.
The 777's I work on have all their emergency equipment in dogboxes spaced out down the isles. The only items in overhead bins are the survival packs, but this bins are above the front and rear doors.
reddituserperson1122@reddit
Doesn’t seem like it would matter in an evacuation.
itsacutedragon@reddit
Sounds like a system that might malfunction could be a problem though
reddituserperson1122@reddit
If it did it would just return us to the status quo - unlocked overheads.
itsacutedragon@reddit
No, the worst case breakdown would be one that locks all the overheads at an inappropriate time
reddituserperson1122@reddit
Pull the breaker. People wait an extra 5 mins to deplane. Life goes on.
itsacutedragon@reddit
An inappropriate time might be when there’s a medical emergency going on
reddituserperson1122@reddit
Already said that you just don’t put locks on the bins with the emergency gear. This is not a difficult engineering problem. It’s just a matter of cost which I agree is probably a dealbreaker.
unreqistered@reddit
then they’ll just shove it under their seats
BrianEno_ate_my_DX7@reddit
Idiot-proofing leads to more robust idiots
ODoyles_Banana@reddit
It would be more practical to just not allow carry ons.
Thequiet01@reddit
There’s various emergency items in the overhead bins including stuff for fighting fires which could well be needed during an evacuation.
reddituserperson1122@reddit
I would think that if one created such a system, you could have some bins unlocked.
Pacer17@reddit
Then people would be standing there fiddling with the lock to try to get their bags. Its a lose/lose situation when dealing with idiots..
reddituserperson1122@reddit
You’re probably right.
chuckop@reddit
Leave your bags behind people!
MosYEETo@reddit
If anyone tries to stop and grab their bag during an evacuation you best bet I’m shoving past their ass. The most selfish people
Capable-Chard-1054@reddit
Yes, you will spend time behind bars throwing the bag grabber out of the plane… its the reverse world but it will be hard to have a judge justify any “prevention of taking bags”
MosYEETo@reddit
I had a stroke reading this..
If someone stops in the aisle to grab their bag I’m shoving them aside and continuing on. I guarantee most others near me will agree
mc_trigger@reddit
Apparently Capable-chard-1054 read “shoving past their ass” as “throwing the bag grabber out of the plane”.
p3rseusxy@reddit
Not so capable now, huh? :-p
gefahr@reddit
Well for a chard it's above average.
Jazzlike_Climate4189@reddit
He said he would shove past them, not shove them out of the plane. Nobody would ever get in trouble for that.
flume@reddit
Those are all real words, so I have to acknowledge that you tried, but what the fuck are you talking about?
Capable-Chard-1054@reddit
I dont think those bag grabbers give up their place in the evacuation queue or would think pushing them aside is not some form of assault… also I never saw a video of someone actually doing much against bag grabbers outside shouting.
Ofc I agree it would be best to push them out if the plane, but in practice its gonna be a lot more complicated
Kinghero890@reddit
If you delay an evacuation and someone dies as a result. Manslaughter charge and national no fly list should be the minimum.
cyberentomology@reddit
Definitely not in front of people.
chuckop@reddit
Airlines need to stop making cutesy safety videos and show WHY you shouldn’t grab things.
g500cat@reddit
The passengers still don’t care
Historical_Term2454@reddit
Need to publicly prosecute and ban the pax who pushed past the FA and anyone who took bags.
Wyciorek@reddit
Actually how does it work with the bags? Obviously only idiot would waste time on opening overhead compartment and grabbing their stuff, but if you have a small backpack/handbag under the seat, are you supposed to leave it too?
NaiveRevolution9072@reddit
Leave it, not just because it takes time but something like a backpack could get caught on something which you do not want
figure0902@reddit
They can also puncture and deflate the slides!
chuckop@reddit
Yes, leave it. It’s not the size or location of the item, but the fact that it has a strap. Things like that get caught on trays, seat backs, other people, etc.
One a strap snags, it pulls on the person.
Imagine 100 people pushing and panicking in a single aisle. A backpack or purse strap gets snagged and pulls the wearer to one side.
People will keep pushing and it’s likely the wearer will lose balance and fall.
In evacuation scenarios time after time, this happens, and bodies pile up.
railker@reddit (OP)
Fun fact: Ever sit in the overwing exit row and notice your tray table latch knob doesn't rotate both ways like everyone else's? Won't allow accidental opening of the table during an evacuation.
Historical_Term2454@reddit
Leave it all
dechets-de-mariage@reddit
They say “leave everything,” so if it can’t fit in your pocket it stays.
Living-Hovercraft-65@reddit
The number of bags straps I saw caught on the arms of the chairs as we got off our plane a few days ago!
The straps slide all the way up the arm before the pax is suddenly arrested and then they try and pull on their bag not understanding that they need to back up and slide the strap off.
If a cabin is filling up with smoke I'm going over the seats.
gefahr@reddit
Leave it all. Kick it under the seat fully so it's not blocking someone's path.
Kinghero890@reddit
Overhead bins need to be locked as well
FLGirl777@reddit
Nationwide ban!
Historical_Term2454@reddit
For a lifetime
cyberentomology@reddit
Failure to follow crew instructions and interfering with the crew.
Hot_Lava_Dry_Rips@reddit
We all know that we're not supposed to take our bags, but its dont think people in here are considering that 1.) Its incredibly rare to die on a plane and people know this so they dont think taking their stuff is that big of a risk, and 2.) most normal people are carrying a life changing amount of stuff with them and if they can get away with not losing it, they will. They dont beleive that the airlines that screw them at every turn will in good faith reimburse them for the loss in a reasonable amount of time and it is the airline's fault for not having that trust. Losing even a phone that isnt paid for or a laptop for work is a huge pain compared to the risk of injury that most people perceive.
I know I personally would have a hard time leaving my laptop or a nice camera behind. Reading this story I probably would just take it out if my bag and go, but good luck prying it from my hands as a condition of leaving the plane. Its coming with me down that slide regardless of whether someone else is holding it as well.
Gibbie42@reddit
All data on your laptop should be backed up. Cloud backup is easy and cheap these days. Camera? My dude, when you fall off the end of the slide because your hands are full it will break anyway.
I can people making a case for their documents or medication, but there is no reason for you endangering yourself and others over stuff.
Hot_Lava_Dry_Rips@reddit
Lol? Hands are full? Its 2026. We arent lugging around 8lb laptops anymore, my dude. I can hold a laptop in one hand and slide down a slide just fine.
You completely neglected to address the main point of my comment. Its not like its just the data I would care about. A decent laptop or camera isnt a trivial amount of money. Any loss over like $500 that isnt guaranteed to be made whole in a timely manner and people are going to start taking risks. Thats a lot of money to most people. Airlines could easily fix this by making it so passengers dont care about the loss, but they dont, so this is what happens.
yourlocalFSDO@reddit
Is that $500 worth yours or someone else’s life to you?
Hot_Lava_Dry_Rips@reddit
No. But the perceived risk of having to make that sacrifice just isnt there for most people.
_litz@reddit
Can sum this up in one word : Texas
FLGirl777@reddit
I could never imagine taking the time to get my damn bag from the overhead bin. Usually in an emergency landing you have a moment or two to prepare, so I’d shove my phone into my pocket and it I had another moment and it was possible while seated grab my identification. Otherwise shit can be replaced
Admirable-Apricot137@reddit
I have a tiny crossbody bag that I keep on my person at all times under my sweatshirt with my critical items in it. Everything else stays behind!
Thequiet01@reddit
Yeah. I can see someone who flies a lot grabbing their personal item/underseat thing like a small backpack or something just out of muscle memory, but stopping to get into the overhead bins?
Zardywacker@reddit
It seems that every time there is an aviation accident involving an emergency evacuation, we have to harp on the fact that passengers tried to take their carry-on luggage with them. It goes without saying that it is wrong to do that and endangers human life. But, at this point, we know that some people will always do it. Stupid, nasty, evil, selfish people. But we know that it will happen every time and I'm tired of people acting surprised and jumping up and down every time we hear about it. No amount of rulemaking, griping, or prosecution I'll change the fact that some people will always try to do it during emergency.
Maybe, like the ashtray in the lavatory, we should start designing planes and procedures to expect this. At any rate, I'm tired of the online outrage; it's become a matter of virtue signaling at this point. And I think sometimes it drowns out other more interesting points about the incident.
Tricky_Big_8774@reddit
Anybody who's driven in a mildly populated area should have no surprise that people behave in selfish ways that endanger other people. It's really at the point in society where someone who doesn't act like that should cause surprise.
Professional-Wolf587@reddit
I think we need fewer carry one bags.
airport-codes@reddit
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railker@reddit (OP)
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