A United Airlines flight departing a Washington area airport cause quite a scare today after losing engine power during takeoff.
United Engine Failure Causes Brush Fire
The incident happened shortly after noon at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) when United Flight 803, bound for Tokyo, experienced an engine failure during the takeoff roll.
The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 with the registration N78004, lost its right engine during takeoff from the D.C. area airport. Some pieces from the engine caused a few small fires in the grass along the runway which were extinguished by airport fire and rescue personnel.
Video posted to social media from the airport shows smoke adjacent to the runway but, according to local reports and FlightRadar24, the aircraft was able to safely dump fuel and return to the airport.
In a statement, a United representative shared the following:
“Shortly after takeoff, United flight 803 returned to Washington Dulles and landed safely to address the loss of power in one engine. There were no reported injuries. We’ve temporarily closed a United Club lounge at Dulles to help assist our customers and work to get them to their destinations. 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.”
According to the carrier, 275 passengers and 15 crew members were on board the aircraft. United operated a secondary flight to get passengers to their destination which is currently on its way to Tokyo.
At the time of publication, no injuries have been reported. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted to social media acknowledging the incident and stating that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would investigate the incident.
Summary
A United Airlines Boeing 777-200 experienced an engine failure while departing from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). The subsequent damage caused a small brush fire at the airport but the plane was able to safely return to the airport. United dispatched a second aircraft to get passengers to their final destination.