What happens when a transpacific flight loses power during the most critical phase of flight — takeoff? On Saturday afternoon at Washington Dulles International Airport, passengers on United Airlines Flight 803 found out.
Shortly after rolling down the runway and climbing away, the Boeing 777-200ER operating as Flight 803 experienced a loss of power in one engine. The malfunction produced visible sparks and smoke that, according to airport officials, ignited a small patch of brush alongside the runway. Airport fire crews extinguished the flames quickly and the plane circled back to land. No one was hurt.
The sequence, according to officials
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records and statements from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and United Airlines show the rough timeline: the engine problem occurred just after takeoff at about 12:20 p.m. Local videos and photos shared on social media captured smoke near the runway while the jet circled. Airport firefighters put out the brush fire and checked the aircraft after it landed safely — reports put the arrival back at Dulles around 1:20–1:30 p.m.
United confirmed there were 275 passengers and 15 crew aboard. The airline said it is arranging a replacement aircraft so customers can continue to Tokyo later in the day, and temporarily closed a United Club lounge at Dulles to assist affected travelers.
The FAA has opened an investigation into the incident.
How crews responded
Multiple fire units — including Loudoun County and Fairfax County responders and teams from the airport’s own fire and rescue service — converged on the scene. Local volunteer companies also reported units dispatched to the airfield. Airport operations continued on other runways while emergency teams worked, suggesting airport officials treated the situation as a contained, though serious, mechanical event.
Authorities emphasized there were no reports of injuries and no indication that runway pavement was damaged. Some passenger posts suggested fuel dumping before landing; air traffic procedures can include fuel jettison in certain circumstances, but officials have not released a statement confirming that step in this case.
Why this matters
An engine failure on a large jetliner during takeoff is rare but among the more consequential in aviation safety planning. Pilots train for engine-out procedures precisely because losing thrust at low altitude and high weight presents a narrow margin for error. The quick, coordinated response here — by cockpit crew, airport firefighters and ground teams — appears to have averted worse outcomes.
Investigators from the FAA will examine engine components, maintenance logs and cockpit voice and data records to determine cause. That investigation could take weeks or months depending on what they find.
What passengers experienced
Video shared by witnesses showed a smoking engine and ground haze; social posts circulated briefly claiming parts fell from the aircraft, claims that airport and airline spokespeople said were unsubstantiated. United and MWAA focused messaging on safety and assistance: the aircraft was inspected on the ground, customers were reassigned, and the carrier thanked crews for their work.
For those on board, the event was an upsetting interruption to what should have been the start of a long-haul trip — but it ended with everyone safe and on the ground.
If you want the latest on the FAA’s response, the agency posts updates on its public site: FAA.
Aviation investigators now have the job of turning a short, intense episode into a set of facts that will inform maintenance, training and safety steps going forward. For the people who watched the smoke rise from the Virginia suburbs, the most immediate relief was simple: a plane that landed, crews who acted fast, and passengers who walked away.