Los Angeles, California – A United Airlines Boeing 757-200 experienced a frightening incident shortly after takeoff on Monday, July 8, when a wheel detached from the aircraft’s undercarriage and fell to the ground. The dramatic moment was captured in a video shared by RadarBox, showing the tire separating from the plane just seconds after it had taken off.
Flight 1001, bound for Denver, was departing from Los Angeles International Airport when the wheel reportedly came loose at 7 am. Despite the alarming occurrence, the plane managed to land safely in Denver three hours later, with no injuries reported among the crew or passengers on board.
United Airlines later confirmed that the wheel was located in Los Angeles, as investigations into the cause of the incident were initiated. It remains unclear if the detached wheel caused any damage upon impact with the ground.
This incident bears resemblance to a similar event in March, where a Boeing 777-200 heading to Osaka, Japan lost a wheel shortly after departing from San Francisco. The aircraft had to divert to LAX before landing safely, albeit with damage caused to vehicles in the airport’s parking lot.
In a significant development involving Boeing, the company has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge related to two deadly crashes of its 737 Max jetliners. This decision follows years of investigations, lawsuits, and whistleblower testimonies that have tarnished Boeing’s reputation. The Justice Department’s announcement indicated that Boeing had violated an agreement protecting it from prosecution, leading to this recent legal action.
As part of the agreement, Boeing will face hefty fines and investments in compliance and safety programs, pending approval from a federal judge. The resolution marks a crucial step for the company in addressing the consequences of the 737 Max crashes, signaling a significant legal and financial milestone for Boeing moving forward.