Engine glitch hits Boeing Dreamliner

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NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., July 29 (UPI) -- An apparent mechanical problem caused one of Boeing's new 787 Dreamliners to drop engine parts on a runway in South Carolina, the aerospace company said.

The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched a team of investigators to look into the mishap, which forced closure of Charleston International Airport for more than an hour Saturday.

"A 787 experienced an engine issue today while undergoing preflight runway testing in North Charleston," Boeing SC spokeswoman Candy Eslinger said Saturday night.

"After the [NTSB] investigation, we will determine what went wrong and come up with a remedy," she added.

The Post and Courier in Charleston said Sunday the incident began with a report of a grass fire at the airport, which is also used by Boeing for operations from its nearby assembly plant.

Eslinger told the newspaper no one was injured as a result of the incident and production at the Boeing plant was not affected.