ACCIDENT

Boeing confirms all 777s with same PW engine grounded

As well as United Airlines, the PW4000 engine type was also used by Japan's ANA and JAL groups, plus South Korea's Asiana Airlines

United Airlines flight UA328, carrying 231 passengers and 10 crew on board, returns to Denver International Airport with its starboard engine on fire after it called a Mayday alert, over Denver, Colorado, U.S. February 20, 2021.. Reuters

H. J. I. / AFP

Some 128 Boeing 777 aircraft using the same Pratt & Whitney engine which failed on a flight out of Denver have now been grounded, a spokeswoman for the giant US planemaker confirmed on Monday.

-I have just had confirmation that all the 777s equipped with this engine have been grounded- she said in a text message to AFP.

As well as United Airlines, the PW4000 engine type was also used by Japan's ANA and JAL groups, plus South Korea's Asiana Airlines.

In a statement Sunday, the company had recommended that all the aircraft concerned should be grounded as US regulators investigated a United Airlines flight which was forced to return to Denver airport after one of its engines caught fire and broke up.

A video shot from inside the aircraft -- which had 231 passengers and 10 crew onboard -- showed the right engine ablaze and wobbling on the wing of the Boeing 777-200.

Its front cowling -- which landed in the front yard of a house, missing it by inches, was entirely missing as the aircraft returned to Denver airport.

There were no injuries on the plane or on the ground, authorities said.