United Airlines Flight 108, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was forced to make an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport on July 25 after the pilot declared a mayday call shortly after takeoff due to an engine failure. The flight was en route to Munich, Germany, carrying 219 passengers and 11 crew members. Approximately minutes into the flight and at about 5,000 feet altitude, the pilot reported a left engine failure, stating over the radio, “Engine failure, left engine, United 108 declaring an emergency. Mayday, mayday, mayday,” according to air traffic control recordings.

Upon hearing the emergency call, air traffic controllers quickly provided instructions for the plane to return safely to Dulles. The controller asked if the aircraft could turn right and head back, assuring, “There’s nobody between you and the field.” Flight tracking data showed that after departing Dulles at around 6:11 p.m. ET, the flight circled and prepared for a safe landing back at its origin airport. Due to the aircraft being heavily fueled for the transatlantic trip, the pilots could not land immediately. They circled the area to dump fuel over a rural region approximately 16 kilometers west of the airport in order to reduce the plane’s weight.

After dumping fuel and completing a second loop, the Boeing 787-8 initiated its descent and landed safely at Washington Dulles at approximately 8:33 p.m. ET. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority confirmed that the plane was thoroughly checked by Fire and Rescue personnel after landing and then towed to a gate. There was no disruption to other flights during the emergency landing. All 219 passengers and 11 crew members disembarked normally without any reported injuries. United Airlines subsequently canceled the flight and arranged alternate travel arrangements to get affected customers to their destination as soon as possible.

United Airlines described the incident as resulting from a “mechanical issue” but did not provide further technical specifics. The calm and professional handling of the incident by both the flight crew and air traffic control was noted in audio recordings shared publicly. The pilot’s clear emergency communication and air traffic controllers’ prompt response helped ensure the safety of everyone on board during what could have been a critical situation. The airport spokesperson reaffirmed that all safety protocols were followed and that the emergency was successfully managed without incident or disruption.