Video captured the moment a United Airlines Boeing aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing just minutes after Takeoff after a fiery explosion Monday.
Passengers aboard the flight witnessed a harrowing scene as bright orange and white flames erupted beneath the aircraft’s left wing, close to the passenger windows, according to the New York Post. The dramatic event unfolded minutes into the flight, captured in a video that saw the blaze lighting up the night.
“Hey ladies and gentlemen, we realized something happened outside,” the crew member said during the flight, New York Post reported.
Flames erupt from United Airlines engine seconds after takeoff, terrifying video shows https://t.co/ywn1BORfWk pic.twitter.com/Xt1ru0wzBT
— New York Post (@nypost) March 7, 2024
The incident occurred on United Airlines Flight 1118, which took off on a two-hour journey from George H. Bush Intercontinental Houston Airport to Fort Myers, Florida, the outlet stated. The flight, however, was forced to return to the Houston airport less than 15 minutes after takeoff. Dorian D. Cerda, a passenger on the flight, managed to film the incident. (RELATED: Karol G’s Private Jet Reportedly Forced To Make Emergency Landing)
The quick return to the airport ensured that all aboard landed safely, with United Airlines organizing an alternative flight to ferry passengers to their intended destination. The airline confirmed the incident and attributed the emergency landing to an engine issue but assured that the flight concluded without any injuries, the New York Post reported.
The aircraft involved in the incident was identified as a Boeing 737-900, a model related to the newer Max series that faced grounding earlier in the year due to safety concerns. This latest event adds another layer of scrutiny to Boeing’s fleet, with the Federal Aviation Administration launching an investigation to determine the cause of the engine fire, according to the New York Post.