A United Airlines flight departing from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) lost a wheel during takeoff on Monday morning, marking the second such incident involving a United Boeing aircraft in just four months. The Boeing 757-200, carrying 174 passengers and seven crew members, continued its journey to Denver International Airport despite the missing wheel. The plane landed safely at around 10:10 a.m. with no reported injuries to anyone on board or on the ground.
United Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that the wheel had been recovered in Los Angeles and that an investigation was underway to determine the cause. The airline did not specify which tire was lost. Both United Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are conducting investigations into the incident.
This recent event follows a similar occurrence in March when a United flight bound for Japan lost one of its main landing tires shortly after takeoff from San Francisco International Airport. The tire landed in an employee parking lot, damaging several vehicles. That Boeing 777, carrying 235 passengers and 14 crew members, made an emergency landing at LAX without any injuries.
The FAA has been closely monitoring United Airlines due to a series of mechanical issues and safety concerns. These include an engine fire, stuck rudder pedals, and other missing or damaged parts. The agency has increased its oversight of the airline’s operations as a result.
In January, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 lost its nose wheel while preparing for takeoff at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. The nose gear tire and rim came loose and rolled down a hill, but no injuries were reported.
Concerns about the safety of Boeing planes have been ongoing, particularly after two crashes involving its 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people. Boeing recently agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge related to these crashes, avoiding a criminal trial.
United Airlines has faced multiple incidents this year, prompting CEO Scott Kirby to address the issues in a letter to customers in March. Kirby acknowledged the recent problems and emphasized the importance of safety. He assured customers that the airline was reviewing each case to understand what happened and using those insights to improve safety training and procedures.
Aviation experts have noted that losing a plane tire is a rare occurrence and not necessarily indicative of a larger safety issue. David Evans, an FAA-certificated airline transport pilot and flight instructor, stated that while such incidents do happen from time to time, they are usually uneventful. Alan Price, a former chief pilot for Delta Air Lines, added that the remaining tires are fully capable of handling the load, and a loose tire is typically a maintenance issue rather than a manufacturing problem.
John Cox, a retired pilot and professor of aviation safety at the University of Southern California, agreed, stating that the incident was likely due to maintenance rather than a fault with the aircraft itself. The FAA will continue to investigate the incident.
The recent string of mechanical issues and safety concerns has put United Airlines under increased scrutiny. The airline has experienced several incidents this year, including a Boeing 737 Max 8 tilting and rolling onto the grass, a Boeing 757-200 suffering wing damage, and an engine fire mid-flight. Despite these issues, no injuries have been reported in connection with the incidents.
United Airlines is working to address these problems and improve safety measures. The airline is reviewing the details of each incident to understand what went wrong and using those insights to inform safety training and procedures across all employee groups. Changes to safety protocols were already planned for the spring, and the recent incidents have further sharpened the airline’s focus on safety.
As the investigation into the latest incident continues, United Airlines remains committed to ensuring the safety of its passengers and crew. The airline is cooperating with the FAA and other authorities to determine the cause of the wheel loss and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Source: USA TODAY, Fox News Digital, The Independent, Associated Press
