Boeing 777 flight from US to Tokyo trunks back after engine failure
During the emergency, a portion of the engine cover reportedly broke loose and caught fire, with debris falling near the runway and igniting a small brush fire.
A United Airlines flight heading to Tokyo was forced to return to the United States on Saturday after experiencing an engine failure shortly after takeoff. The Boeing 777-200ER, operating as United Flight 803, had 275 passengers and 15 crew members on board when the incident occurred.
According to Reuters, the aircraft lost power in one engine soon after departing Washington Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, prompting pilots to turn back as a precaution.
During the emergency, a portion of the engine cover reportedly broke loose and caught fire, with debris falling near the runway and igniting a small brush fire. Videos shared on social media later showed smoke rising from the area adjacent to the airfield.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority confirmed the incident in a statement, saying, “United flight 803 ignited some brush around the runway as it was departing Dulles Airport. The fire was extinguished and the flight returned to Dulles, landing safely at about 1:30 pm after being checked by airport fire responders.”
Safe landing, no injuries
Despite the engine malfunction, the aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported. United Airlines confirmed the sequence of events in a statement quoted by FOX 5.
“Shortly after takeoff, United flight 803 returned to Washington Dulles and landed safely to address the loss of power in one engine,” the airline said. “There were no reported injuries.”
A passenger who shared footage of the incident said the plane circled in the air for some time to burn off fuel before landing.
United said it temporarily closed one of its United Club lounges at Dulles to assist affected passengers and arrange alternate travel plans. The airline added that the Tokyo-bound flight would be rescheduled using a different aircraft.
“United is grateful to our crews and to the teams at Washington Dulles for their quick work to help ensure the safety of everyone involved,” the airline said.
FAA investigating incident
US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said he had been briefed on the incident involving United Flight 803 and confirmed that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating.
“I’ve been briefed on the United Airlines incident at Dulles,” Duffy said, thanking “brave first responders” for their swift response.