A United Airlines Boeing 777 lost a wheel today, March 7, while taking off from San Francisco, California, and two cars collided in the parking lot.
The plane was flying UA-35 to Osaka, Japan, but shortly after take-off one of the wheels on the inner axis of the main landing gear on the left side was lost. The launch of the wheel was captured live in the video below, recorded by the channel Cali planes.
EXCLUSIVE: This is the moment United fly #UA35 Lost a wheel during take-off, and was captured by Cali planes (https://t.co/QPzmrN2j2T) ✈️ https://t.co/JSTzbHuGD2 pic.twitter.com/MdmybGWCqt
— Radar Box (@RadarBoxCom) March 7, 2024
Shortly after the wheel fell, the control tower at San Francisco International Airport asked the approaching plane to turn around and wait for a runway inspection.
The United flight was not notified until 20 minutes after take-off, and the pilot stated that he had no indication that any component was missing and decided to continue the flight until the company confirmed that the wheel was indeed from the plane, and advised him to land. In Los Angeles.
The Southern California city was further from the main airport, but would cause less disruption to operations by having 4 parallel runways rather than 4 intersecting runways like San Francisco.
The Boeing plane landed safely after an hour and 40 minutes of flight, but announced “Pan Pan Pan” on approach and was accompanied by LAX firefighters. All events were recorded in real time by a Fox News helicopter:
In San Francisco, a car in the airport parking lot was severely damaged by the tire of a Boeing 777, but fortunately there was no one inside the car and no one was injured. Another car was also hit.
This is the damage caused by a UA35 tire drop….@RadarBoxCom
– Aviation Emergency (@FlightEmergency) March 7, 2024
After stopping at the gate in Los Angeles, the United 777-200ER plane was inspected. On the other side of the state, police have isolated the spot where the wheel stopped, which remains in the San Francisco airport parking lot:
I love how they tied the frame like he committed a crime 🤣👍 #ua35 pic.twitter.com/Q2VoAGZlaX
– Aviation Emergency (@FlightEmergency) March 7, 2024
All the action that caused the 35-minute shutdown of the San Francisco airport and the movement of emergency vehicles in Los Angeles was captured on flight control frequency chat and can be heard below:
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.