Engine failure forces United Airlines flight to return to DC-area airport

by Reuters Dec 15, 2025

A United Airlines flight bound for Tokyo was forced to return to Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia on Saturday afternoon after experiencing an engine failure during departure, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

A United spokesperson said the flight landed shortly after takeoff due to the loss of power in one engine. There were no reported injuries among the 275 passengers and 15 crew members aboard, the spokesperson said.

Photographs and videos posted to the social media site X showed smoke billowing from near the runway at Dulles, which is located about 25 miles (40 km) from Washington, D.C., and the closest international airport to the U.S. capital.

Smoke rises during an incident involving a United Airlines plane on the tarmac at Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia, U.S., December 13, 2025, in this still image obtained from social media. HOUMAN HEMMATI/via REUTERS

The FAA said it will investigate the incident on United Flight 803, which involved a Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

A piece of the plane's engine cover separated and caught fire, sparking a brush fire on the ground at the airport, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said the fire was extinguished.

The flight will be rescheduled for later on Saturday on a different aircraft, a United spokesperson said.