Engine part falling from plane forces United Airlines flight back to airport

A United Airlines flight from Connecticut to Colorado was forced to touch back down when a piece of engine lining fell off shortly after takeoff on Thursday morning.

The crew onboard the Denver-bound flight reported hearing an “abnormal noise” from the Airbus A320 as the plane left the runway that prompted the flight to turn around, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

On arrival back at Bradley International Airport in Hartford at around 8.45am local time, flight 325 deplaned, and passengers were placed on alternative flights for the four-hour journey to Denver International Airport.

None of the 124 passengers and five crew members onboard were injured during the incident.

A United Airlines spokesperson told The Independent: “Our flight from Bradley International Airport in Hartford to Denver International Airport returned safely to Bradley this morning to address an issue with one engine, and a portion of the engine’s sound-dampening outer liner was found on the runway.

“We arranged other flights so our customers could continue their trip to Denver.”

The FAA is investigating the incident.

Just last month, a terrifying incident unfolded at Chicago O’Hare Airport when smoke and flames suddenly started to billow from the wings of a United Airlines Airbus 320 flight from Chicago to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The FAA said that the engine had caught fire, prompting takeoff to be cancelled and the airport to temporarily stop operations.

United Airlines’ Airbus engine mishaps come amongst a string of aviation drama for Boeing.

On 12 June, a Boeing 737 Max was grounded for 20 days after the aircraft experienced a dangerous “Dutch roll” mid-flight, causing it to sway side-to-side in yet another troubling incident.

The Southwest Airlines flight was travelling from Phoenix, Arizona, to Oakland, California, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, when the aircraft experienced a Dutch Roll, an “unsafe” movement in which the tail wags and the wings oscillate, according to the FAA.