‘Mayday’ call: United Airlines flight makes emergency landing after takeoff from Dulles- Here's what happened midair

A United Airlines flight made an emergency landing shortly after departing from Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia last week. The Munich-bound Boeing 787, operating as United Flight 108, declared "Mayday" after the pilot found left engine failure, USA Today reported. On July 25, around 6 pm ,when the plane, carrying 219 passengers and 11 crew members, ascended to 10,000 feet, the pilots noticed an issue.“Failure, engine failure, left engine, United 108,” pilots told air traffic controllers in a recording obtained by You can see ATC on YouTube. “Declaring an emergency.”“Mayday, mayday, mayday,” they added while flying at 5,000 feet.The air traffic controller responded by confirming a clear path for return, stating, "There's nobody between you and the field," while enquiring if the aircraft could return via a rightward turn, as per USA Today.The aircraft successfully returned to Washington Dulles, touching down at approximately 8.33 pm, according to FlightAware data. A United Airlines representative subsequently confirmed that a technical malfunction prompted the aircraft's return.Crystal Nosal, speaking for the airport, informed USA TODAY: "The plane landed safely, was checked by Airports Authority Fire and Rescue personnel then towed to a gate. There was no disruption to other flights."All the passengers and crew members safely disembarked at the gate without any reported injuries. The airline subsequently cancelled the flight and made alternative travel arrangements for the affected passengers.