Engine issue forces United Airlines jet back to Dulles

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Engine issue forces United Airlines jet back to Dulles

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United Airlines Boeing 777-200 | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Jun 20, 2025

On June 21, a United Airlines Boeing 777-200 departed from Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) but had to return after an engine overheated during takeoff. The aircraft has remained at IAD since the incident.

Flight UA803 was scheduled for Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) but returned to the airport after spending two and a half hours taxiing. No injuries or mishaps were reported, and passengers eventually reached their destination with a seven-hour delay.

The Aviation Herald noted that the aircraft, registered as N798UA, was replaced by another of the same model, registration N78001, to complete the journey to Japan. The original plane remains grounded for inspections and maintenance.

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During its ascent, the flight crew observed overheating in one of its Pratt & Whitney 4090 engines and leveled off at 4,000 feet before consulting with air traffic control. They executed a normal landing on runway 01R.

The Guardian referenced comments from Robert Sumwalt, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), regarding a similar incident in 2021 when another United Airlines Boeing 777 experienced an engine fire over Denver. He stated: “What is important that we really truly understand the facts, circumstances and conditions around this particular event before we can compare it to any other event.”

The previous incident involved a fatigued fan blade causing catastrophic failure. Saturday's aircraft is over 27 years old; while no direct correlation has been established between these events, similarities have prompted caution among flight crews.

United Airlines operates over 1,000 jets across various models from Airbus and Boeing. Despite not being in production anymore, the Boeing 777 series remains integral to United’s international operations until newer models like the Boeing 777X arrive.