WATCH: Plane Engine Catches Fire Right After Takeoff; Flight Manages to Land With Everyone Safe

Sarah RumpfFeb 20th, 2021, 5:43 pm
 

United Airlines flight 328 had an engine fail shortly after takeoff from Denver International Airport on Saturday afternoon. The pilot immediately made a mayday call and returned to the airport.

The pilot managed to land the plane safely with all 241 people on board (231 passengers and 10 crew members), but did drop large pieces of debris in a residential neighborhood near the airport in the town of Broomfield, Co. So far, there are no reports of injuries on the ground either.

According to CNN, the plane was a Boeing 777 that was bound for Honolulu. The plane’s right engine failed about five minutes after takeoff. Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion and debris began raining down from the sky, leaving a debris field that has stretched at least a mile to a mile-and-a-half.

CNN played the audio recording of the pilot’s mayday call:

Mayday, mayday. United 328. Heavy mayday, mayday aircraft — Departure United 328. Heavy mayday aircraft — just experienced engine failure. Need to return immediately.

A video purporting to show the engine burning jet fuel was posted on Twitter.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident and has asked area residents to report any debris they find but avoid touching it, due to the risk of hazardous chemicals.

This is a breaking news story and has been updated.

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.