A United Airlines passenger plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after reportedly suffering an engine fire Monday.
United Flight 2127 took off from LAX for Newark, New Jersey, on Monday morning carrying 256 passengers and 12 crew, but was forced to turn back within an hour with a smoking engine, the airline confirmed.
About 180 passengers were evacuated, some with minor injuries. Some other flights were temporarily grounded.
"United Airlines Flight 2127 returned safely to Los Angeles International Airport around 11:20 a.m. local time on Monday, March 2, due to a left engine issue. Passengers deplaned on a taxiway," said a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration.
"The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was heading to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The FAA will investigate."
It is the latest in a string of problems with Boeing planes over the last few years, ranging from a sudden mid-air hatch blowout to crashes that killed hundreds of people.
In June 2025 a Boeing Dreamliner operated by Air India crashed moments after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 people aboard.
On Monday, the FAA issued an emergency order, grounding all flights to LAX from a wide range of airports including Denver, Salt Lake City, and Oakland, California, lasting from 11:15am until 12:30pm L.A. time.
"Users can expect arrival delays / airborne holding into the Los Angeles Airport of up to 30 minutes due to aircraft incident," one notice said.
A United spokesperson said: "United flight 2127 safely returned to Los Angeles to address an issue with one of the engines. Customers deplaned via slides and airstairs and were bused to the terminal.
"There are no reported injuries at this time. We’re working to get our customers to their final destinations."
The Independent has asked Boeing for comment.
