Engine Failure Forces Jet Back to Dulles, Starts Brush Fire

Passengers on a Tokyo-bound United flight out of Washington Dulles on Saturday got a round-trip they didn't expect: straight back to the airport minutes after takeoff. Federal officials say one of the Boeing 777-200ER's engines failed just after 12:20pm, sending out sparks and smoke as Flight 803 was climbing, reports NBC News. The incident even touched off a small brush fire near the runway, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Airport fire crews quickly put out the blaze and inspected the aircraft after it landed. No injuries were reported among the 275 passengers and 15 crew members on board. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy tweeted that a "piece of the engine cover separated and caught fire, sparking a brush fire on the ground," per the Washington Post. An ongoing FAA investigation should clarify the details.

In a brief public statement, the airport said that the jet "returned safely to Dulles" and that flights operated normally on other runways. United said the plane returned "to address the loss of power in one engine," and the airline noted it closed a United Club lounge temporarily so passengers could decamp there while getting rebooked onto different flights.