Tokyo-bound United Airlines flight returns to Dulles airport after engine failure

A United Airlines flight bound for Tokyo was forced to return to Washington Dulles International Airport on Saturday after experiencing an engine failure shortly after takeoff, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed.

United Flight 803, a Boeing 777-200 carrying 275 passengers and a total of 15 crew members, departed Dulles for Tokyo’s Haneda Airport around 12.35pm local time when the incident occurred.

US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy confirmed the details in a post on X, stating that he had been briefed on the situation and noting that a piece of the engine cover had separated and caught fire. This debris sparked a brush fire on the ground near the airport.

According to FlightAware tracking data, pilots circled the aircraft around the airport for approximately 45 minutes before landing safely back at Dulles. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) reported that airport fire and rescue crews were immediately dispatched to evaluate the jet upon its return.

Emily McGee, a spokesperson for the MWAA, confirmed the subsequent brush fire was quickly extinguished. Smoke from the ground fire was reportedly visible across the tarmac, although other flights continued their arrival and departure schedules without disruption. There were no injuries reported among the passengers or crew.

In a statement following the event, the carrier praised the swift action taken. '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 statement read. The airline worked to rebook the affected passengers on a new flight scheduled for later Saturday.

The FAA is expected to begin a formal investigation into the cause of the engine failure.