Passengers had to be evacuated from a jetliner at Houston’s main airport on Sunday (February 2, 2025) after an engine problem during takeoff led to smoke and fire on the right wing.
United Airlines flight 1382 bound for New York City was stopped on the runway shortly after 8:30 a.m. at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration.
No injuries were reported, and passengers were safely bused back to the terminal, according to the FAA.
The takeoff was aborted after the Airbus A319 “received an indication about one engine,” the statement mentioned.
KPRC-TV obtained a passenger’s video showing orange flames and smoke emanating from the wing as the aircraft accelerated down the runway. A passenger is heard urging, “Please, please, get us out of here.”
The flight, carrying 104 passengers and five crew members, was scheduled to fly to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, as per United Airlines.
“Passengers deplaned on the runway via a combination of slides and stairs and were bused to the terminal,” the airline confirmed. “We arranged for another aircraft to transport customers to their destination at 2:00 p.m. CT.”
The FAA announced that it would conduct an investigation into the incident.
Flight safety concerns were heightened following two recent fatal plane crashes this year. In one incident, an American Airlines jet collided midair in Washington, D.C., with an Army helicopter, resulting in no survivors. Another crash in Philadelphia involved a small jet crashing in a populated area, claiming seven lives.
Published – February 03, 2025 11:31 am IST
