United Flight Loses Wheel on Takeoff But Lands Without Injury
It’s rare to board a plane and later find out a wheel fell off right after takeoff. That’s exactly what happened to United Airlines flight 1001, a Boeing 757-200, on July 8, 2024. The plane lifted off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) headed to Denver—with 179 passengers and seven crew—when one main landing gear tire broke away seconds after leaving the runway. Most passengers had no idea anything was wrong until after touchdown.
The flight, which left LAX at 7:15 a.m., continued on its two-hour journey to Denver as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. No chaos, no emergency diversions, just a slightly tense vibe among flight crew who kept everyone calm. Passengers landed in Denver safely, and no one on the ground was hurt, either. Airport crews tracked down the missing wheel in Los Angeles shortly after takeoff.
But here's the kicker: this isn’t the first time United has faced this problem this year. Back in March, another United jet, a Boeing 777-200, lost a wheel while taking off from San Francisco. That time, the runaway tire smashed up cars in an airport employee parking lot. People are starting to wonder if United's wheels are having a run of bad luck, or if there's something deeper going on with maintenance or aging aircraft.
Focus on Old Planes and Safety Design
The aircraft involved—tail number N14107—is hardly fresh off the assembly line. Delivered in late 1994, this Boeing 757 has been in the skies for almost 30 years, racking up over 110,000 flight hours. The 757-200, like many big jets, is designed so that it can still land safely even if a tire goes missing. There are two main gear struts, each with six tires. The plane can handle the loss, but it still doesn't make for a comfortable feeling knowing a crucial part just fell off at 200 miles per hour.
Airline maintenance crews check tires for wear before takeoff, but age does bring its own set of challenges. Planes like the 757-200 are built tough, but old hardware sometimes surprises even the best mechanics. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an investigation, working with United Airlines engineers who are already poring over maintenance logs, tire batch numbers, and landing gear inspection records to pinpoint what went wrong.
This double whammy of tire failures in less than four months has turned the spotlight on tire suppliers, maintenance schedules, and even mechanics’ workload. United, though, insists their safety protocols are solid and their planes are fit to fly. Still, two similar incidents in such a short time make it hard for travelers to ignore a nagging worry—could it happen again?
For now, all eyes are on the investigation. Airline insiders say there's no reason to panic, since the design of the Boeing 757 gives pilots plenty of backup. But for flyers who already get nervous about turbulence and strange noises, knowing that planes can safely land after losing a wheel may be both a relief and a fresh reason for anxiety. Travelers and industry experts alike are waiting for answers, hoping the next story about a United flight doesn’t involve parts left behind on the runway.