A United Airlines Boeing 777 operating a long-haul route from Washington to Tokyo had to return to Dulles International Airport on Saturday after suffering engine failure shortly after takeoff, sparking a brush fire near the runway and prompting an emergency response from airport authorities.
The plane with 275 passengers and 15 crew members landed safely and no injuries were reported, officials said. The incident briefly disrupted operations on one runway, but did not affect overall operations at the airport.
What went wrong on a United Airlines flight?
United Flight 803, a Boeing 777-200ER bound for Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, experienced a technical problem after takeoff at around 12:20 (1720 GMT), according to sources cited by AFP.
“Shortly after takeoff, United Flight 803 returned to Washington Dulles and landed safely to resolve an issue with a loss of power in one of its engines,” the airline said in a statement.
Transport Minister Sean Duffy gave further details on social media, saying a piece of the engine cowling had come off during take-off.
A component of the engine cover “detached and caught fire, which started a brush fire on the ground,” he said on X.
How was the situation handled on site?
Airport emergency services were immediately deployed after the plane turned back. An airport spokesman said firefighters quickly brought the fire under control.
“The fire was extinguished and the flight returned to Dulles and landed safely around 1:30 p.m., when it was inspected by airport firefighters,” the spokeswoman said.
One runway was temporarily closed as a precaution, although the impact was limited. According to airport officials, “Dulles has multiple runways and other flight operations were not affected.”
Did a United Airlines plane dump fuel before landing?
According to the aviation surveillance and safety website AirLive, the plane jettisoned fuel over Fredericksburg, Virginia as part of standard emergency procedures.
The fuel dump was described as “a safety-critical procedure used to reduce the aircraft’s weight to a safe level before attempting an emergency landing”.
Who is investigating the incident?
The US Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that it will investigate the engine failure. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing declined to comment on the technical aspects of the incident and referred questions to United Airlines.
The aircraft was delivered in November 1998 to Continental Airlines, which later merged with United. The jet is powered by two General Electric engines, now under the GE Aerospace brand.
What Happened to United Airlines Passengers?
After searches and security checks, the passengers were accommodated in a replacement aircraft. United Flight 803 finally departed for Haneda later on Saturday, approximately six and a half hours after its original scheduled departure.
