The World : 3 Fuel Tanks Dry on 747 Jet

Three engines on a United Airlines jetliner lost power over the Pacific because three of the plane’s fuel tanks ran dry, aviation sources in government and industry said. The Boeing 747 with 258 aboard landed safely on only one engine at Narita Airport near Tokyo after a flight from Los Angeles. A United spokesman said an inspection found no mechanical problem, and the plane was deemed airworthy. But aviation sources familiar with the incident said that while the tanks feeding three engines ran dry, the plane landed with 20,000 pounds of fuel, enough for nearly an hour’s flying. It was not clear whether the trouble developed because of crew error or a mechanical problem.