Explosion Over Denver Causes Airlines to Ground 777s

DENVER, COLORADO — After videos of a mid-air explosion, a burning plane and plane debris falling on a Denver suburb went viral, Boeing has recommended grounding dozens of its 777 aircraft around the world.

The BBC reports that United Airlines said it's removing all of its Boeing 777 planes currently in service that are powered by Pratt & Whitney 4000 series engines — after the FAA called for stepped-up inspections of these engines.

The move comes after the right-hand engine of a 26-year-old Boeing 777-200 — operated by United Airlines — suffered an uncontained engine failure.

The ensuing explosion blew the engine's cowlings off and left the engine burning and smoking, while pieces of cowling and engine rained down on the Broomfield suburb of Denver, Colorado.

Luckily no one on the ground or in the airplane was injured by the explosion and debris.

United is the only US airline flying this model of 777, with the others being in Japan and South Korea.

The FAA has ordered more-frequent inspections for the hollow fan blades that are unique to this model of engine, which are used only on Boeing 777 airplanes.