Engine fails after takeoff: Boeing 787 Dreamliner declares 'MAYDAY' near Washington
Flight UA108 declared a MAYDAY call after its left engine malfunctioned at an altitude of around 5,000 feet.
- Jul 29, 2025,
- Updated Jul 29, 2025 1:05 PM IST
A United Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for Munich was forced to return to Washington Dulles Airport on July 25, after suffering a mid-air engine failure shortly after takeoff.
Flight UA108 declared a MAYDAY call after its left engine malfunctioned at an altitude of around 5,000 feet. The pilots immediately notified air traffic controllers and began emergency procedures to return safely to the airport.
The pilot and ATC maintained continuous communication throughout the emergency. At one point, ATC asked how long the aircraft would need to remain in the air: "How much time do you expect to hold, fuel, or just get set up there?" The pilot responded: "We’ll have to climb six and adjust fuel."
To reduce weight for a safe landing, the aircraft circled northwest of Washington in a holding pattern at 6,000 feet to dump fuel. The pilot later confirmed: "We are dumping fuel at 6,000 feet, northwest of the airport." ATC then instructed the aircraft to fly a heading of 020 degrees and asked to be notified once the fuel dump was complete.
Once cleared, the pilots requested an ILS approach to Runway 19 Centre. The aircraft landed safely, but due to the engine failure, it could not taxi on its own and had to be towed off the runway. The Dreamliner remains grounded at Washington Dulles Airport. No injuries were reported during the incident.
The incident comes just days after a separate emergency involving an American Airlines flight at Denver International Airport. On Saturday, passengers aboard Flight 3023 were evacuated via emergency slides following smoke in the cabin. The Boeing 737 MAX 8, en route to Miami, experienced what the FAA described as a "possible landing gear incident." American Airlines later said the issue involved an aircraft tire.
The United Dreamliner's engine failure also mirrors the recent Air India crash near Ahmedabad, where a 787-8 suffered a critical engine malfunction shortly after takeoff, raising concerns about recurring technical vulnerabilities in this aircraft class.
A United Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for Munich was forced to return to Washington Dulles Airport on July 25, after suffering a mid-air engine failure shortly after takeoff.
Flight UA108 declared a MAYDAY call after its left engine malfunctioned at an altitude of around 5,000 feet. The pilots immediately notified air traffic controllers and began emergency procedures to return safely to the airport.
The pilot and ATC maintained continuous communication throughout the emergency. At one point, ATC asked how long the aircraft would need to remain in the air: "How much time do you expect to hold, fuel, or just get set up there?" The pilot responded: "We’ll have to climb six and adjust fuel."
To reduce weight for a safe landing, the aircraft circled northwest of Washington in a holding pattern at 6,000 feet to dump fuel. The pilot later confirmed: "We are dumping fuel at 6,000 feet, northwest of the airport." ATC then instructed the aircraft to fly a heading of 020 degrees and asked to be notified once the fuel dump was complete.
Once cleared, the pilots requested an ILS approach to Runway 19 Centre. The aircraft landed safely, but due to the engine failure, it could not taxi on its own and had to be towed off the runway. The Dreamliner remains grounded at Washington Dulles Airport. No injuries were reported during the incident.
The incident comes just days after a separate emergency involving an American Airlines flight at Denver International Airport. On Saturday, passengers aboard Flight 3023 were evacuated via emergency slides following smoke in the cabin. The Boeing 737 MAX 8, en route to Miami, experienced what the FAA described as a "possible landing gear incident." American Airlines later said the issue involved an aircraft tire.
The United Dreamliner's engine failure also mirrors the recent Air India crash near Ahmedabad, where a 787-8 suffered a critical engine malfunction shortly after takeoff, raising concerns about recurring technical vulnerabilities in this aircraft class.