A passenger jet en route to Honolulu landed safely at Denver International Airport after experiencing engine problems, which included parts of the plane crashing in neighborhoods near where it took off.
Denver International Airport officials confirmed to CNN that United Airlines flight 328 took off from the airport on Saturday, but had to return after experiencing engine difficulties. The pilot managed to safely land the plane back at the airport.
A loud crash was heard by residents on the ground near the airport after takeoff.
Police in Broomfield, Colorado, a suburb north of Denver, reported for the first time calls from residents of large pieces of plane debris landing in the yards of nearby neighborhoods.
Several images shared by the Broomfield Police Department showed large pieces of the plane spread out in front of several houses, including one that appeared to represent a large piece of the engine. The plane wreckage was also located on a football field in the neighborhood.
“The plane landed safely in DIA. We have not yet received reports of injuries, ”tweeted the police department.
A resident on the ground shared an image of the plane flying overhead and showed what looked like the right engine on fire.
Then, a video shared online by a passenger on the plane showed a damaged right engine as the jet made its emergency landing. Passengers on board were heard on the video applauding after the plane landed safely.
An employee of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed to CNN that it was the right engine for the plane that failed quickly after takeoff.
No injuries were reported inside the plane after landing and passengers had to evacuate directly to the airport runway. They were then transported back to the runway terminal.
Broomfield police pleaded with residents of the area not to move or touch the plane’s wreckage if it landed near their homes. “@NTSB[NationalTransportationSafetyBoard}wantsallofthedebristoremainintheinvestigationsite”[NationalTransportationSafetyBoard}querquetodososdestroçospermaneçamnolocalparainvestigação”tuitouodepartamentodepolícia[NationalTransportationSafetyBoard}wantsalldebristoremaininplaceforinvestigation”thepolicedepartmenttweeted