In a recent incident, a United Airlines plane lost a wheel during takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport. Despite this, the Boeing 757-200 completed its scheduled flight to Denver without any problems, landing safely and without injury. The incident was first reported by pilots of an Allegiant flight bound for Tulsa, Oklahoma, who saw the errant wheel bouncing across the runways and taxiways at LAX.
The wheel was eventually recovered near the southwest corner of the airport, about three-quarters of a mile from where it was initially seen leaving. At the time of the incident, the plane was carrying 174 passengers and seven crew members. United Airlines has since launched an investigation into the cause of the event, and the Federal Aviation Administration has also conducted an investigation.
This incident follows a similar event months ago, when another United Airlines flight lost a wheel during takeoff from San Francisco International Airport, damaging several cars in a parking lot. That plane, which was bound for Osaka, Japan, also landed safely in Los Angeles with no injuries.
These incidents have drawn attention to United Airlines' safety record. In March alone, there were at least a dozen incidents involving United Airlines flights. In response to these events, CEO Scott Kirby sent a security message to customers, stating that while the incidents were unrelated, they had sharpened the company's focus on security.
The same month, the FAA began a safety review of the airline. United Airlines informed its employees that they should expect an increased FAA presence as the agency reviews the company's work processes, manuals and facilities. The review aims to ensure that the airline is doing everything possible to promote and maintain safety compliance. The FAA's safety assurance system routinely monitors all aspects of an airline's operation, focusing on regulatory compliance, hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation and effective security management.