Quick-thinking pilots saved the day after a United Airlines flight heading to Munich was forced to return to Washington Dulles Airport for an emergency landing on July 25.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft suffered a single engine failure shortly after takeoff.
United Airlines flight 108 took off just after 6 p.m. on July 25, according to data from FlightAware. After the aircraft reached 5,000 feet, the flight crew declared a Mayday, reporting a malfunction in the engine to air traffic controllers.
Pilots and air traffic controllers worked together to land the plane safely. The cockpit crew requested to remain at an altitude of 6,000 feet so they could dump fuel to ensure the aircraft was a safe weight for landing, according to AviationAtoZ.
Controllers then stayed in continuous communication with the plane, ensuring it avoided other aircraft in the area as it circled and jettisoned fuel. The aircraft circled the area for about 2.5 hours, according to FlightAware’s tracking data of the incident.
When the appropriate amount of fuel was released, pilots requested permission to land back at Washington Dulles on Runway 19 Center using Instrument Landing System approach, a routine landing procedure in conditions with low visibility due to weather.
The plane landed safely at 8:49 p.m., according to FlightAware, and was towed off the runway. Thanks to the pilots’ cool heads and skillful landing, there were no injuries reported in the incident.
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