United Airlines flight returns to London after engine malfunction en-route to Newark

United Airlines has confirmed that a Boeing 767-300ER, which departed from London on March 26, returned to London Heathrow after experiencing mechanical problems. A spokesperson for the airline stated, "The flight landed safely and was subsequently canceled. Customers were rebooked onto the next available flight to Newark, which has since departed."

The flight in question, UA147, was headed to Newark Liberty International Airport. At the time, the aircraft carried 70 passengers and 11 crew members, resulting in a 41.9% occupancy rate. This model can seat up to 167 passengers.

Data from Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft halted its climb at 18,000 feet before turning back to the airport. At 15:55, the pilots began squawking 7700, a signal for a general emergency, likely to secure landing priority. The 767-300ER safely landed at Heathrow at 16:37 and was guided to the gate area. Observations on its arrival showed the pilots did not deploy the thrust reverser on the right engine, suggesting a potential issue with that engine.