A United Airlines
Boeing 737 MAX 9 collided with a coyote while departing from Chicago, prompting the flight crew to initiate a turnback to its origin airport.

Hitting a coyote

The Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA
) disclosed on its Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) system that a United Airlines 737 MAX 9
, registered as N37507, sustained minor damage on January 12.

The incident happened at Chicago O’Hare International Airport
(ORD), where the single-aisle jet hit a coyote while departing from the airport, according to a short sequence of events published on ASIAS.

According to the FAA, the 737 MAX 9’s right nose gear was damaged during the incident, which prompted the pilots to return to Chicago.

United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 landing at Boston Logan International Airport BOS shutterstock_2139802875

Photo: The Global Guy | Shutterstock

Flightradar24 data showed that N37507 operated flight UA1727 from Chicago to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
(PHX). While the 737 MAX 9 departed Chicago, it climbed to an initial altitude of 6,175 feet (1,882 meters) and entered a holding pattern east of the airport.

Subsequently, it climbed to 10,175 ft (3,101 m) as it began its approach to return to Chicago. The aircraft departed at 10:04 local time (UTC -5) and landed at O’Hare International at 10:44 local time.

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Both aircraft landed safely at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) safely.

Promptly returning to service

However, despite the aircraft sustaining minor right nose gear damage, the 737 MAX 9 returned to service on the same day, Flightradar24 records showed. On January 12, it operated another three flights following its involuntary reduction of the coyote population in Chicago.

At 14:38, it took off on flight UA1502 to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and left North Carolina for Newark Liberty International Airport
(EWR). From Newark, it flew to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
(ATL), ending its day after landing at the airport at 23:36 local time (UTC -4).

United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 Heading Out

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

On January 13, after returning to Newark from Atlanta, the 737 MAX 9 operated an international itinerary to Panama City Tocumen International Airport (PTY), where it landed at 19:47.

According to United Technical Operations (United TechOps), its repair station at Chicago-O’Hare is online 24 hours per day, with maintenance technicians there being capable of repairing every Boeing aircraft, including the 737 and even the 747
, which United Airlines has not operated since retiring the type in November 2017.

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One of the first United 737 MAX 9s

Ch-aviation data showed that Boeing
delivered the subject 737 MAX 9 on September 30, 2018. Beforehand, the manufacturer had handed over six other 737 MAX 9s between April 23, 2018, and June 4, 2018, the site’s records indicated.

As of April 30, 2024, the aircraft had accumulated 12,353 flight hours (FH) and 4,161 flight cycles (FC) since new, with ch-aviation sourcing the data from Boeing.

Boeing’s last 737 MAX 9 delivery to United Airlines was on December 13, 2024, when the airline welcomed N77585 to its fleet. The airframe operated its first flight on September 11, 2024, just two days before the strike by Boeing’s machinists began on September 13, 2024, ending on November 4, 2024.

The plane maker resumed 737 MAX
production on December 6, 2024, more than a month after the strike’s end. Almost two weeks later, Boeing restarted the production facilities of 767F, 777F, and 777X aircraft.

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