A United Airlines jet was compelled to circle back to Washington Dulles International Airport after one of its engines momentarily lost power, with no injuries reported among passengers or crew, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Flight 803, en route to Tokyo, Japan, experienced a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Dulles. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 carrying 275 passengers and 15 crew members, touched down safely and no one was hurt, the FAA and United Airlines confirmed.
Initial reports indicated that the engine trouble caused some brush near the runway to ignite. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared on social media that a fragment of the engine cowling separated and ignited, triggering a brush fire on the airport grounds.
Secretary Duffy stated that the flight landed safely and there were no reported injuries at that time. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority later said the fire was extinguished.
The FAA announced it would open an investigation into the incident, which involved a Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
