United Flight 102 returns to Houston after engine fire

A United Airlines flight bound for Germany made an emergency return to Houston on Friday after one of its engines caught fire shortly after takeoff, an incident witnessed and described by former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, who was among the passengers. The Boeing 777-200ER, operating as Flight 102 from Houston to Munich, landed safely back at George Bush Intercontinental Airport with no injuries reported among the 267 passengers and 13 crew members.

Griffin, a former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL star, posted a video and description of the event on social media late Friday. He stated that the plane's right engine caught fire just after departure and that passengers heard "15 straight loud bangs" and immediately knew something was wrong. Griffin, who noted he was seated near the compromised engine, praised the pilots for their handling of the situation, saying they were able to return everyone safely. He concluded his post with, "God is good."

United Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the flight returned to address an engine issue. The airline stated the aircraft landed safely, customers deplaned normally, and a replacement aircraft was being arranged...