Passengers on a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York were evacuated before takeoff on Sunday due to engine issues, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, writes ABC NEWS.
No injuries were reported, according to the Houston Fire Department, which was assisting at the scene. The FAA said takeoff was “safely aborted” due to a “reported engine issue”.
“Passengers deplaned on the runway and were bused to the terminal”, the FAA said in a statement. United Airlines confirmed the incident, saying passengers evacuated the aircraft “via a combination of slides and stairs”.
In one video taken by a passenger, smoke could be seen coming out of the plane. In another video, passengers were seen deplaning via the aircraft’s evacuation slide. One passenger, Kelcie Davis, called it a “terrifying experience” in a post she shared on TikTok.
“Engine blew out right as our wheels were leaving the ground. Plane lost control on the runway for a few seconds, but thank god our pilot was able to get the plane back under control. Only one slide was working for the entire plane to evacuate”, - Davis said.