United Airlines flight forced into emergency landing after engine cover blows off

A United Airlines flight destined for Hawaii was forced to make an emergency landing just forty minutes short of its destination on Tuesday after one if its engines began to disintegrate mid-flight.

Passengers onboard flight 1175 from San Francisco to Honolulu reported hearing a loud bang before the plane shook violently.

Passengers on the right-hand side of the Boeing 777 saw pieces of metal flying through the air and by the time the plane touched down safely, the ending was stripped completely bare, with its inner workings on full display.

As of writing it was not clear what had caused the malfunction, however, similar malfunctions had plagued American Airlines, JetBlue and AirFrance in the past.

"Our pilots followed all necessary protocols to safely land the aircraft," United said in an emailed statement on Tuesday evening.

"The aircraft taxied to the gate and passengers deplaned normally."

Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the agency had launched an investigation into the event.

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