(JustPatriots.com)- A United Airlines jet was forced to make an emergency landing moments after taking off after a malfunction caused sparks and debris to fall from the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration is reportedly conducting an investigation into the incident that that sent the plane back to Newark Airport.
The Boeing 777-200ER took off from Newark toward Sao Paulo, Brazil when it had to enter a “holding pattern at 24,000 feet” over the Atlantic Ocean as it dumped fuel to lessen the aircraft’s weight. After experiencing what is allegedly “hydraulic pressure pump failure on landing the landing gear,” the jet landed back at the airport after just an hour and a half of flying.
The moment the sparks began to shoot from the plane was caught in a shocking video by a passenger, who also caught the debris that fell to the ground. Fortunately, the plane landed safely back on ground and no injuries or casualties among the crew and passengers have been reported.
“After our aircraft experienced a mechanical issue shortly after takeoff, it remained in the air to burn fuel and then landed safely,” United Airlines said in a statement. “Passengers deplaned at the gate and a new aircraft is scheduled to depart this morning.”
This Boeing 777 is not the first of its kind to reportedly experience malfunctions. The aging model belonging to the airline remains as one of the oldest models of their kind in the world. In February 2021, one experienced engine failure after departing Denver for Honolulu. The engine lip fell to the ground on one resident’s front yard. No injuries were reported in the incident and all 241 passengers were landed safely in less than 20 minutes after the engine imploded.
The Federal Aviation Administration subsequently announced that all Boeing 777’s equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW4070 engines would be grounded until further notice, leading to another directive that the models be given extra care to maintenance.