A United Airlines flight lost its wheel during takeoff

By AFP

A United Airlines flight lost a wheel while taking off from Los Angeles International Airport, the airline said.

A United Airlines statement described the Boeing 757-200 as having “landed safely in Denver.”

“The wheel was recovered in Los Angeles and we are investigating what caused this incident,” the text added.

The plane responsible for United Flight 1001 had 174 passengers and seven crew members on board, but no one was injured and there was no property damage, the company said.

Landed 25 minutes late in Denver, Central America.

A person who identified himself as a passenger on the flight said on Reddit, “Great job by the crew.”

“The pilot reported that he may have lost a tire during takeoff,” wrote the author of the post. “It continued to Denver as planned. It would have made an emergency landing. The crew taught us emergency procedures.”

Boeing responded by email that it delivered the plane in 1994, more than three decades ago, and discontinued the 757-200 model in 2004.

The Federal Aviation Administration, the highest government agency responsible for regulating civil aviation in the United States, is investigating the incident.