A Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash nearly crashed just moments after taking off because of an engine failure.
The United Airlines plane took off from Washington Dulles Airport bound for Munich on Friday but was forced to turn around just minutes into the flight.
A ‘Mayday’ was declared by the crew at around 5,000 feet after a malfunction was reported in the aircraft’s left engine.
The crew on the plane were directed by air traffic control to a holding pattern northwest of Washington so that they could dump fuel.
They asked the pilots: ‘How long do you expect to hold, fuel, or just get set up there?’
The pilot responded: ‘We’ll have to climb six [thousand feet] and adjust fuel.’
The Dreamliner remained at around 6,000 feet for several minutes while it dumped the fuel.
The pilot told air traffic control: ‘We’re dumping fuel at six thousand. We’ll let you know when complete.’
Luckily, the crew managed to land the plane safely back at Dulles Airport, and no injuries were reported, and all passengers disembarked safely.
Because of engine failure, the plane had to be towed off the runway by the ground crew.
Flight data shows that the aircraft’s left engine failed while it was climbing after it departed.
The aircraft is still grounded at the airport while engineers inspect the engine and the damage.
Aviation authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are expected to investigate the incident.
A United Airlines spokesperson told Metro: ‘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 cancelled and we arranged alternate travel arrangements to take customers to their destination as soon as possible.’
Boeing has been approached for comment.
The safety model of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is currently under scrutiny because of the Air India crash last month.
That incident involved both engines failing shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.
The tragic crash killed more than 260 people and the circumstances around it are still under investigation.
Other problems with Boeing 787s have been reported this year, including an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 en route from Addis Ababa to Mumbai.
It experienced a mid-air depressurisation event, prompting an emergency descent.
Oxygen masks were deployed, and seven passengers needed medical attention when they landed in Mumbai.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
