- United Flight 1302 was evacuated at Denver airport after a crew member found a live bullet on board.
- Security teams conducted a sweep of the Boeing 737, delaying the flight for over two hours.
- The incident marks the third ammunition-related discovery on a domestic flight in the year 2026.
A crew member found a live bullet on United Flight 1302 before the aircraft left Denver airport Thursday, sending all 184 people off the plane while security personnel inspected the cabin.
The Boeing 737-900 was scheduled to fly from Denver to San Diego at about 1:25 p.m. local time. It eventually departed at about 3:41 p.m., roughly two hours and 16 minutes late.
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United said the aircraft carried 178 passengers and six crew members. The airline later said personnel cleared the plane after a security sweep, allowing it to continue to San Diego.
A crew announcement described the discovery as a security breach.
“The bad news is we found a live round, a bullet on the airplane. This is a security breach here, and everybody is going to have to deplane.”
A second announcement told passengers to take their belongings with them as they left the cabin.
“We need everybody to deplane the aircraft with your carry-on bags. We’re going to have to carry out a security sweep of the aircraft after the plane is empty. We apologize for this.”
Passengers left the aircraft quietly and in an orderly manner, according to Jena Neuman, who was aboard the flight. She said the cabin had appeared ready for departure before the sudden halt.
“We were ready to go, everything looked great and they were closing things up. Then all of a sudden, everything got really quiet, nobody was moving.”
United Flight 1302 later resumed its trip. The plane remained in service and completed its rotation to San Diego later that evening.
The flight left more than two hours behind schedule
Passengers removed their carry-on bags before Transportation Security Administration agents and airport supervisors examined the empty aircraft. The inspection covered the cabin after crew discovered a single round on the floor during routine checks before taxiing.
| Flight detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Flight | United Flight 1302, also identified as UA1302 |
| Route | Denver International Airport to San Diego International Airport |
| Aircraft | Boeing 737-900 |
| People aboard | 178 passengers and six crew members |
| Scheduled departure | About 1:25 p.m. MDT on August 13, 2026 |
| Actual departure | About 3:41 p.m. MDT on August 13, 2026 |
| Delay | Approximately two hours and 16 minutes |
The aircraft’s departure delay disrupted passengers’ plans after landing. Travelers said some missed evening connections and ground transportation in San Diego.
The bullet’s owner has not been publicly identified. Investigators also have not established how the ammunition reached the aircraft. United directed further questions about the investigation to the TSA.
The discovery follows two other ammunition incidents in 2026
The Denver incident came after a Frontier Airlines flight at the same airport was stopped in May, when authorities found a loaded ammunition magazine on a flight from Denver to Phoenix.
In February, United Flight 1511 at Newark was declared a crime scene after a bullet turned up in an overhead bin. That incident delayed the flight for three hours.
Federal screening guidance prohibits firearms and ammunition in carry-on bags and airplane cabins. Passengers may transport ammunition in checked baggage only when they declare it and place it in a locked, hard-sided container.
The TSA did not release the name of a Denver field-office official in connection with the United incident. David P. Cummins became the agency’s eighth administrator on August 7, 2026, overseeing security protocols nationwide.
Denver International Airport was also dealing with FAA ground stops linked to regional setbacks and weather during the heavy travel week. The ammunition discovery added a separate aircraft-level disruption at the hub.
The investigation remains focused on how the round entered the cabin
United said security personnel cleared the aircraft before departure. The airline did not identify a passenger or crew member as the source of the ammunition.
Security services at the airport have not announced changes to checkpoint screening connected to the incident. The aircraft’s continued operation indicates that officials permitted it back into service after the inspection.
The flight operated Thursday, August 13, 2026. As of Friday, August 14, the ammunition’s owner remained unidentified.
