United Boeing 787 Dreamliner forced to land minutes after taking due to ENGINE FAILURE
Flight UA108, carrying 219 passengers and 11 crew members, departed Washington Dulles Airport at 5:40 p.m. on Friday, July 25, bound for Munich in Germany.
But as the jet climbed through 5,000 feet, the left engine failed, prompting the pilots to declare a 'MAYDAY' and alert air traffic controllers.
What followed was nearly three hours of tense aerial maneuvering.
The crew entered a holding pattern northwest of Dulles, circling at 6,000 feet while dumping fuel to reduce the aircraft's landing weight.
Throughout the emergency, the pilots worked closely with air traffic control to maintain safe separation from other aircraft and prepare for the return.
Once the fuel dump was complete, the plane was cleared to land using an Instrument Landing System approach to Runway 19 Center.
The touchdown was smooth - but with one engine disabled, the Dreamliner was unable to taxi and had to be towed from the runway.
All passengers and crew deplaned safely at the gate without injury.
In a statement to the Independent, United Airlines confirmed the emergency, saying the aircraft returned to Dulles 'to address a mechanical issue.'
A spokesperson added: 'The flight was subsequently cancelled, and we arranged alternate travel arrangements to take customers to their destination as soon as possible.'
The airline declined to provide further details about the engine malfunction or confirm whether an investigation is underway.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority also confirmed the emergency landing, noting that the aircraft was met by fire and rescue crews and towed to a gate for inspection.
'There was no disruption to other flights,' a spokesperson said.
Although no injuries were reported, the aircraft remains grounded at Dulles as technicians continue to assess the damage.
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