Boeing 777 Jet Makes Emergency Landing After Wheel Falls Off
A Boeing 777 jet carrying 249 people was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday after one of its wheels fell off, causing damage to several cars in the parking lot. The flight, originally bound for Japan, was redirected to Los Angeles, where it successfully landed.
Wheel Falls off Mid-Air
A video shared online captured the alarming moment the United Airlines plane lost its wheel shortly after takeoff from San Francisco International Airport. The wheel landed in a parking lot reserved for airport employees, just moments after the aircraft’s departure.
No Impact on Boeing
John Cox, a retired pilot, downplayed the incident and stated that Boeing would not be affected, as it was a tire changed by the United Airlines maintenance team that caused the issue. According to United Airlines, the Boeing 777 jet is designed to safely land even if a wheel is missing or damaged.
Concerns over Boeing’s Quality Control
This incident follows a series of quality control problems for Boeing, including a recent incident in January when a panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 on a flight from Portland, Oregon. As a result, all Boeing 737 Max 9s were grounded for 19 days. In response to the mounting concerns, US regulators have given Boeing 90 days to devise a plan to address quality control shortcomings.
Praise for Boeing’s Landing System
Alan Price, a former chief pilot for Delta Air Lines, commented on the incident, highlighting the resilience of Boeing’s landing system. He stated, “In aviation, we never want to have single points of failure if they can be avoided, and this is a case in point. The remaining tires are fully capable of handling the load.”
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of robust quality control measures and the aviation industry’s commitment to ensuring passenger safety. Boeing, despite facing challenges, continues to strive for “real and profound improvements” as directed by the FAA.
(With inputs from agencies)
