HOUSTON — Passengers on United Airlines flight 1382 were evacuated from the plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Sunday after an engine malfunction caused flames and smoke to erupt from the right wing during takeoff.
The flight, bound for New York City, was halted on the runway shortly after 8:30 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Despite the alarming scene, there were no injuries reported. Passengers were safely evacuated using slides and stairs and were later bussed back to the terminal, the FAA confirmed.
The incident occurred after the Airbus A319 “received an indication about one engine,” leading to the stop in takeoff, the FAA explained.
KPRC-TV captured a dramatic video from a passenger showing orange flames and smoke coming from the wing as the plane accelerated down the runway. One passenger can be heard anxiously asking to be evacuated, saying, “Please, please, get us out of here.”
The flight, which had 104 passengers and five crew members, was scheduled to depart for LaGuardia Airport in New York.
United Airlines stated that the passengers were safely deplaned on the runway and bussed to the terminal. A replacement aircraft was arranged to continue the journey at 2:00 p.m. CT.
The FAA has announced it will investigate the cause of the incident.
This event comes amid heightened concerns over aviation safety following two fatal plane crashes earlier this year, including a midair collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., which resulted in no survivors, and a small jet crash in Philadelphia that claimed the lives of seven people.
