A United Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner issued a ‘MAYDAY’ distress call on Monday after the aircraft experienced the malfunction shortly after takeoff. The aircraft, Flight UA108, bound for Munich, was forced to return to Washington Dulles Airport on July 25 after suffering a critical engine failure.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Reports Engine Trouble
According to reports, after the take off, the left engine of the aircraft failed at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet. The flight crew then declared an emergency and coordinated with air traffic controllers to manage the distressing situation.
United Airlines 787 Declares Mayday After Engine Failure, Lands Safely
On July 25, a United Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating flight UA108 from Washington Dulles to Munich declared a “MAYDAY” shortly after takeoff due to a left-engine failure.
The pilots, drawing on… pic.twitter.com/1GvwexDkUg
— TRAVUL (@travulism) July 29, 2025
FlightAware reported that the Dreamliner remained airborne for 2 hours and 38 minutes. The aircraft circled northwest of Washington to dump fuel and reduce weight for a safe landing.
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Reports mention that the air traffic controllers worked closely with the pilots of the aircraft to ensure safe separation from other aircraft while fuel was being dumped.
After the fuel dumping, the crew received clearance to return to Dulles via an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach on Runway 19 Centre.
The aircraft landed safely, according to reports, however, due to the disabled left engine, it was unable to park under its own power and required towing off the runway.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Landed Safely on Runway 19 Center
A conversation between the cockpit crew and ATC revealed that the pilots needed “about two more minutes” before they would be ready to land. ATC then directed the plane to fly on a 020-degree heading and asked to be informed when the fuel dumping was complete.
Once the fuel had been fully discharged, the flight crew requested clearance for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to Runway 19 Center. The emergency landing was executed without incident.
However, due to the failure of the left engine, the aircraft was unable to taxi on its own and had to be towed off the runway. As of Monday, the Dreamliner remained grounded at Washington Dulles Airport.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
