San Francisco, CA
Tire Falls Off United Airlines Boeing Flight While Departing San Francisco
Topline
A tire on a United Airlines-operated Boeing 777-200 fell from the airplane as it departed San Francisco International Airport on Thursday, falling in an employee parking lot and damaging at least one car in the process.
The flight landed safely in Los Angeles after departing San Francisco International Airport on … [+]
Key Facts
United confirmed the incident in an email to Forbes, saying one of the aircraft’s 12 tires fell after takeoff on a flight bound for Osaka, Japan.
The flight, according to a United spokesperson, was redirected to and safely landed at Los Angeles International Airport, where passengers were arranged on a new flight to Osaka.
The tire appeared to damage fencing and at least one vehicle in an employee parking lot, though United noted in its email it would work with the “owners of the damaged vehicles in SFO to ensure their needs are addressed.”
The incident occurred at 11:24 a.m. local time and was caught on camera by plane tracking YouTube channel Cali Planes.
Surprising Fact
A separate United flight also dealt with a mechanical issue Thursday, one that caused flames to shoot from an engine not long after takeoff. The plane, a Boeing 737 with 167 passengers onboard, made an emergency landing in Houston, according to CBS News.
Key Background
The Boeing tire incident comes as the company faces significant scrutiny from lawmakers and regulatory bodies such as the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the cause behind a door plug that blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. The board complained during a Senate hearing yesterday Boeing had yet to provide important information related to the investigation and employees who work on door plugs at a Boeing facility in Washington. A preliminary report published last month found four bolts were missing from the blown-off door that were designed to secure it to the aircraft.
Further Reading
Tire falls off United Airlines flight after takeoff from San Francisco (CBS News)
NTSB Says It’s ‘Absurd’ Boeing Still Hasn’t Provided 737 Max Information For Investigation (Forbes)