United Airlines flight lands in Sacramento due to a mechanical issue

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - A United flight bound for Rome landed in Sacramento, California on Tuesday to address a mechanical issue.

"We just noticed on the flight map that was on the back of the seat in front of us that the flight had turned around and started heading towards Sacramento. We started dropping air speed and altitude and we were wondering why we were going that way and then suddenly they started dumping fuel out the right wing of the plane. It was crazy. I've never seen that before, just dumping fuel and so the pilot came on air...on the intercom and said that they had shut the right engine down and so because of that engine oil valve heat temperature sensor. It was overheating. That's why they shut the engine down and sent us back."

Steve Bryant, passenger

The flight took off from San Francisco just before 4:30pm, but landed in Sacramento around 5:49pm.

According to United, there were 148 passengers and 14 crew members on the Boeing 777-200ER plane.

The airline says they are working to rebook customers for Rome. United has not specified what the mechanical issue was.