United Airlines Jet Spews Flames in Terrifying Takeoff Malfunction
Flames erupted from the wing of a Boeing 777 flying from Beijing to San Francisco.

Shanghai Daily
Terrifying video has captured the moment a United Airlines flight traveling from China burst into flames on the runway after an engine caught fire during takeoff. Footage of the incident shows Flight UA889 from Beijing to San Francisco accelerating down the runway on Monday when a loud noise erupts from the engine, followed by a fireball. “I was sitting by the window, half asleep, when the plane took off,” a frightened passenger told the Daily Mail. “The nose of the plane should have lifted, and suddenly, the right engine made a noise, and I saw a ball of flame gushing out.” Emergency crews immediately swarmed the scene with dozens of vehicles, and all passengers onboard the Boeing 777 were safely evacuated without injury, with those affected offered complimentary re-booking. United Airlines confirmed a “technical malfunction” caused the incident but provided no further details. The Daily Beast has requested additional comment from the airline.
#United’s #flight #UA889 aborted takeoff in #Beijing after a loud bang and visible engine flames on Mon. The 27-year-old #Boeing777 suffered mechanical failure, with blown tires and both engines reportedly affected. All passengers safe. #airline #Boeing pic.twitter.com/8q7wlGcSqw
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) May 27, 2025
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