August 2, 2025: A United Airlines Boeing 787 carrying 219 passengers and 11 crew members made a safe emergency landing back at Dulles Airport on Thursday after an engine failure forced the pilots to declare “Mayday.”
Shortly after departing from Dulles en route for a transatlantic flight, the pilots reported an issue with the left engine while flying at 5,000 feet. In air traffic control recordings, the crew can be heard making the urgent “Mayday” call.
Due to being fully fueled for the long-haul flight, the aircraft was too heavy for an immediate landing. The pilots were instructed to circle the airport for approximately 30 minutes to dump fuel, allowing the plane to reach a safe landing weight. Upon landing, the plane was met by airport fire and rescue teams, but all passengers and crew disembarked without injury.
United Airlines confirmed the incident was due to a “mechanical issue” and announced the flight was canceled. The airline arranged for alternative travel for all affected passengers. The incident comes on the heels of a similar event in July when a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles also returned to the airport after an engine fire.