Bubble Wrap Cited as United Boeing 737 Engine Fire Cause

On Monday, a United Airlines Boeing 737-900 was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after its takeoff from Houston-Intercontinental (IAH) due to the left engine bursting into flames. A passenger videotaped the terrifying incident, showcasing the bright sparks it shot out near passenger windows.

The Flight

According to data from Flightradar24, flight UA 1118 was a scheduled two-hour flight from Houston to Southwest Florida/Fort Myers (RSW) from 6:40 PM to 9:40 PM. After taking off as scheduled, the pilots ran through a checklist and discovered that the left engine was either surging or stalling as it climbed up to 10,000 feet. 

They clarified their discovery with the IAH approach air traffic controller, mentioning that 167 passengers were on board the aircraft. Once the pilots received permission to enter a holding pattern at 6:52 PM, the plane circled Houston-Intercontinental for about 15 minutes before landing on Runway 27. 

Shortly after, pilots received ATC permission to land on Runway 27. The flight touched down at 7:13 PM, just 33 minutes after takeoff. Passengers and flight crew claimed it was a turbulent ride back followed by a harsh landing. The passengers deplaned normally.

In a statement, United Airlines stated that they believed the engine ingested bubble wrap causing the fire.

Aircraft Replacement

In Houston, another United Boeing 737-900 was dispatched to take the affected passengers to Fort Myers. It left Houston at 10:12 PM and landed in Fort Myers at 12:50 AM, a bit over three hours after it was scheduled to land. 

As for the aircraft that suffered the engine failure, the culprit was an engine surge. According to an Aerotime article, "engine surges occur when there is a breakdown in airflow through the engine's air compressor." The plane was scheduled to return to service on March 6. On that day, it flew passengers between Houston and Orlando (MCO) that day. 

Aftermath

Besides describing the flight as turbulent, they also noted what the flame looked like. According to passenger David Gruniger's testimony to ABC News, he "remember[s] there was just this bright, flashing light that came through the window." Additionally, he claimed it "sounded like a bomb went off, and then it was just a strobe of fire out the window." 

Passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 1118 did receive compensation regarding the incident and delay. Emails from United showed that each passenger was offered a $200 flight credit along with a $15 meal voucher. The airline emphasized its commitment to safety as a priority and claimed an investigation was underway.