United Airlines flight aborted before takeoff when plane engine catches fire, gushes smoke at Chicago airport: video

US News

By David Propper

A United Airlines flight had to abort takeoff at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport when one of the plane’s engines caught fire Monday — sending smoke gushing out from one of the wings as seen in a dramatic video from the tarmac.

United Flight 2091 was set to fly to Seattle at around 2 p.m. when its engine burst into flames on the taxiway and forced 148 passengers and five crew members to evacuate after the Airbus 320 was towed back to a gate, the Federal Aviation Administration and United Airlines said in separate statements.

Footage shot by a passenger from inside the plane showed thick smoke coming from one of the wings as the aircraft drove on the tarmac.

The passenger who took the video, Ivan Paloalto, told Storyful he heard an explosion as the plane was nearing takeoff.

“I felt the impact on my window. As I looked, the engine was on fire and smoke was coming out,” he said.

The FAA temporarily halted arrivals into the Chicago airport on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year until regular operations started again at 2:45 p.m., the agency said.

United said there were no injuries reported and the engine issue was “immediately addressed” by first responders.

Passengers deplaned “normally,” the airline said.

“We are working to make alternative travel arrangements for customers,” the airline said.

Windy City fliers weren’t the only ones dealing with travel headaches over the Memorial Day weekend.

Fliers at JFK International Airport faced a temporary ground stop on Monday as officials monitored powerful thunderstorms moving through the area.

With Post wires