United flight from DC to Tokyo returns after losing power and setting fire to brush near runway

No injuries reported and plane landed safely at Dulles airport less than an hour after departure

Smoke rising from a small brush fire that was ignited when a United Airlines flight lost engine power (HOUMAN HEMMATI via REUTERS)

A United Airlines flight departing from Washington, D.C., Saturday was forced to turn around after one of its engines lost power and ignited a small brush fire near the runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Flight 803, bound for Tokyo, departed from Dulles International Airport around 12:35 p.m., but lost engine power shortly after. According to reports, the engine troubles caused some brush to catch fire near the airport runway.

Emily McGee, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, told the Washington Post, that the fire was extinguished and the flight returned to Dulles at about 1:30 p.m. when it was checked by airport fire responders.

The flight, carrying 275 passengers and 15 crew members, returned to safety with no injuries reported.

The FAA is investigating the incident.

Smoke rising from a small brush fire that was ignited when a United Airlines flight lost engine power December 13 (HOUMAN HEMMATI via REUTERS)

It remains unclear what caused one of the engines on the Boeing 777-200 to fail, but Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said that a piece of the engine cover “separated and caught fire, sparking a brush fire on the ground.”

Duffy said he had been briefed about the incident and reiterated that no passengers or crew members were harmed.

United Airlines said it temporarily closed a United Club lounge at Dulles to use it as a hub to help passengers get to their destination. Those aboard the original flight to Japan were expecting the airline to reschedule the flight for late Saturday using a different aircraft.

“United is grateful to our crews and to the teams at Washington Dulles for their quick work to help ensure the safety of everyone involved,” the airline said in a statement.

An emergency vehicle puts out a brushfire near the tarmac after United Airlines Flight 803's engine failed (REUTERS)

Flight 803’s engine failure occurred just as the plane was taking off from Dulles, but the plane could not immediately conduct an emergency landing. Pilots circled the plane around the airport for roughly 45 minutes, according to FlightAware.

On social media, several travelers said they saw the plane dumping fuel over the area as it was preparing to land.

Audio from the air traffic control broadcasts, obtained by CNN, indicated the plane crews were dumping fuel as part of protocol.

Generally, planes dump fuel before landing to reduce the weight of the aircraft, preventing damage to the landing gear or other structure.