A United Airlines flight bound for Munich declared an emergency and returned to Washington Dulles International Airport on Friday after experiencing an engine failure shortly after takeoff.
United Flight 108, a Boeing 787 carrying 219 passengers and 11 crew members, departed from Washington Dulles International Airport en route to Munich when pilots reported a left engine malfunction and issued multiple "Mayday" calls to air traffic control.
A United Airlines spokesperson told NTD News by email, "United flight 108 to Munich returned to Washington Dulles shortly after takeoff to address a mechanical issue. The plane landed safely, and all passengers deplaned normally at the gate. The flight was subsequently canceled and we arranged alternate travel arrangements to take customers to their destination as soon as possible."
"Failure. Engine failure. Left engine, United 18, declaring an emergency," the pilot reported. Moments later, the crew issued the international distress call: "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday."
Air traffic controllers immediately responded to assist, offering runway options and guidance for the emergency return. "Heavy, roger that, sir. Are you able to make your way in, in fact, into the field at this time? You can turn right heading 10 if able," controllers responded.
The flight crew requested to maintain altitude while conducting emergency procedures. "Okay, we're level at five. We'd like to just stay here, heavy," the pilot said.
Before attempting the emergency landing, the Boeing 787 entered a holding pattern to reduce weight by dumping fuel. The pilot informed controllers: "Fuel dumping in progress, west, north at 6000."
The fuel dumping process took about six to ten minutes to complete safely.
When asked about directional preferences for the approach, the pilot said that "Right turns are easier, that's our good measure," prompting controllers to accommodate the plane’s limitations due to the engine failure.
The aircraft successfully touched down at Dulles, with the tower clearing the site for the emergency landing.
Following the safe landing, the pilot told controllers that while the plane could exit the runway, it would need help. "Cleared to land, 19 Center. We'll be able to exit the runway, but we'll be getting a tow back heavy," the pilot said.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, as of July 29, there have been 132 fatal plane crashes and 565 non-fatal crashes in 2025, though these numbers continue to reflect a global downward trend in fatal airline accidents since 2019.
The Federal Aviation Administration has not yet announced whether it will investigate the engine failure incident.