New Jersey

United Flight Out of Newark Declares Emergency Over Engine Failure

Some people were hurt while getting off the plane, a United spokeswoman said

What to Know

  • A United flight out of Newark, New Jersey, declared an emergency as it made its descent in Houston Sunday because an engine shut down
  • Flight 1168 was carrying 174 passengers and six crew when the engine trouble began near George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston
  • At least one passenger reported seeing flames in the engine, but the FAA says there was no evidence of smoke or fire

A United Airlines flight out of Newark International Airport had an engine fail as it made its descent to its destination in Texas Sunday, prompting the crew to declare an emergency as passengers began to panic, federal officials say.

Flight 1168 was carrying 174 passengers and six crew members late Sunday when the engine trouble began near George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. One passenger told local media outlets that he heard a loud bang, felt a strong vibration and saw a flash of light.

"People were starting to panic and everyone kept hitting the flight attendant call button, I guess to try to figure out what was going on," passenger Chris Morrison told KPRC-TV in Houston. "It was such a bad vibration and the optics of flashes coming from the engine that people were freaking out, so they kept doing it."

Another passenger described seeing what he thought were flames coming from the engine, but a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said emergency responders found no evidence of fire or smoke.

United spokeswoman Rachael Rivas says some people suffered minor injuries while getting off the plane once it made its emergency landing.

The FAA says it is investigating.

Copyright The Associated Press
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