United Airlines Boeing 777 Engine Failure Sparks Fire At Takeoff, Forces Emergency Return At Washington Dulles

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A United Airlines Boeing 777 operating a long-haul service from Washington to Tokyo was forced to return to Dulles International Airport on Saturday after suffering an engine failure shortly after takeoff, triggering a brush fire near the runway and prompting an emergency response from airport authorities.

The aircraft, carrying 275 passengers and 15 crew members, landed safely and no injuries were reported, officials said. The incident briefly disrupted operations at one runway but did not affect overall airport traffic.

What went wrong during the United Airlines flight?

United Flight 803, a Boeing 777-200ER bound for Tokyo's Haneda Airport, encountered a technical issue moments after departure at around 12:20 pm (1720 GMT), according to sources cited by AFP.

“Shortly after takeoff, United Flight 803 returned to Washington Dulles and landed safely to address a power loss issue with one of its engines,” the airline said in a statement.

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy provided further details on social media, stating that a piece of the engine cowling became detached during takeoff.

A component of the engine cover“separated and caught fire, sparking a brush fire on the ground,” he said on X.

How was the situation handled on the ground?

Airport emergency services were immediately deployed after the aircraft turned back. An airport spokesperson said firefighters quickly brought the fire under control.

“The fire was extinguished and the flight returned to Dulles, landing safely at about 1:30 pm, when it was checked by airport fire responders,” the spokesperson said.

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One runway was temporarily closed as a precaution, though the impact was limited. According to airport officials,“Dulles has multiple runways and other flight operations were not impacted.”

Did the United Airlines aircraft dump fuel before landing?

According to aviation tracking and safety website AirLive, the aircraf released fuel over Fredericksburg, Virginia, as part of standard emergency procedures.

The fuel dump was described as“a critical safety procedure used to reduce the plane's weight to a safe level before attempting an emergency landing.”

Who is investigating the incident?

The US Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that it would investigate the engine failure. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing declined to comment on the technical aspects of the incident and referred queries to United Airlines.

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The aircraft involved was delivered in November 1998 to Continental Airlines, which later merged with United. The jet is powered by two General Electric engines, now branded as GE Aerospace.

What happened to United Airlines passengers?

After inspections and safety checks, passengers were accommodated on a replacement aircraft. United Flight 803 eventually departed for Haneda later on Saturday, approximately six and a half hours after its original scheduled departure.

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