United Airlines Aircraft Loses Wheel After Takeoff
A Boeing 757-200 operated by United Airlines experienced a wheel loss after departing from Los Angeles International Airport on Monday. Despite the incident, the aircraft landed safely at its intended destination in Denver.
In a statement, United Airlines said, “The wheel has been recovered in Los Angeles, and we are investigating what caused this event.
All 174 passengers and seven crew members on board were unharmed, and no injuries were reported on the ground.
This marks the second instance in recent months where a United Airlines-operated Boeing aircraft lost a wheel following takeoff. In March, a Boeing 777 en route to Japan experienced a tire fall shortly after leaving San Francisco, necessitating an emergency landing.
Boeing also agreed on Monday to plead guilty to fraud in a settlement with the US Department of Justice concerning two 737 MAX crashes. The aerospace giant has been under increased scrutiny this year, particularly after a fuselage door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX flight in January.
According to a Boeing spokesperson, the 757-200 aircraft involved in Monday’s incident was initially delivered in 1994, 30 years ago. Production of the 757 model ceased in 2004.
The US Federal aviation administration is currently investigating the incident.
