A United Airlines flight from Washington Dulles to Tokyo Haneda was forced to return shortly after takeoff on Saturday after losing power in one engine, triggering a brush fire along the runway. United Flight UA803, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER registered N78004 carrying 275 passengers and 15 crew, safely landed back at Dulles around 13:30 with no reported injuries.
During the emergency, the aircraft dumped fuel over parts of northern Virginia as part of standard safety procedures before returning to the airport. The fire on the ground was quickly extinguished by airport emergency crews. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that an engine cover separation caused the incident, and the Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation.
United Airlines said affected passengers were assisted at the airport and rebooked, with the flight scheduled to operate later using a different aircraft. The incident adds to heightened public scrutiny of aviation safety following several recent high-profile accidents and operational disruptions.