Mar 7, 2024,06:52pm EST
A tire dislodged from a United Airlines-operated Boeing 777-200 aircraft during its departure from San Francisco International Airport on Thursday, plummeting into an employee parking lot and causing damage to at least one car.
KEY FACTS: United Airlines confirmed the incident to Forbes via email, stating that one of the aircraft’s 12 tires fell off shortly after takeoff while en route to Osaka, Japan. The flight was subsequently redirected to Los Angeles International Airport, where it safely landed, and passengers were rebooked on a new flight to Osaka, according to a United spokesperson. The fallen tire caused damage to fencing and at least one vehicle in the employee parking lot.
United assured that they would collaborate with the affected car owners at San Francisco International Airport to address their needs. The occurrence took place at 11:24 a.m. local time and was captured on camera by the plane tracking YouTube channel Cali Planes. The Boeing 777-200, manufactured in 2002, had a total of 249 individuals on board during the incident.
SURPRISING FACT:
In a separate incident on the same day, another United flight encountered a mechanical issue where flames emerged from one of its engines shortly after takeoff. The plane, a Boeing 737 carrying 167 passengers, made an emergency landing in Houston, as reported by CBS News.
KEY BACKGROUND:
The incident involving the Boeing tire adds to the ongoing scrutiny facing the company, including investigations by regulatory bodies like the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is currently probing a door plug incident that occurred during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. During a Senate hearing, the NTSB expressed frustration over Boeing’s failure to provide essential information related to the investigation and details regarding employees involved in door plug work at a Boeing facility in Washington. A preliminary report released last month revealed that four bolts were missing from the blown-off door, which were intended to secure it to the aircraft.