Bad streak continues for Boeing: wheel comes off before takeoff

A Boeing 757 jet operated by Delta Air Lines lost a front wheel while preparing to take off in Atlanta.

It is an older model than those that have raised safety concerns about the company, but it came at a time when one of America’s largest aircraft manufacturers is under intense scrutiny.

Flight 982 Delta bound for Bogota Colombiawas moving along the runway before taking off at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta when the incident occurred, around 11:15 a.m. Saturday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is already investigating the incident.

The aircraft is 32 years old.

“All passengers and their luggage were evacuated from the plane, taken to the boarding gate and taken to a replacement plane.”Delta stated. “We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused.”.

There were no injuries, a spokesman said. Delta to The Associated Press, adding that the plane’s tires were replaced and it was put back into service the next day.

According to the Atlanta-based airline, 172 passengers, two pilots and four flight attendants were on board the aircraft.

Contacted by the AP on Wednesday, Boeing had no additional comment. The Arlington, Virginia, aircraft manufacturer stopped producing the 757 model nearly 20 years ago.

In recent years there have been a series of mishaps involving Boeing aircraft, including two plane crashes involving Max 8 aircraft that occurred in 2018 and 2019 in Indonesia and Ethiopia, in which 346 people died in total.

Earlier this month, a door plug broke off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 at 16,000 feet (4,900 meters) above Oregon, leaving a hole in the side of the plane. Since then, Alaska Airlines and United have reported finding loose bolts and other problems in the door panels of an unspecified number of Max 9 aircraft.

Dave Calhoun, CEO of Boeingwas in Washington, DC, on Wednesday to meet with lawmakers and discuss the safety of the Max 9.

Ongoing investigations by regulatory bodies and harsh criticism of Boeing inside and outside the airline industry preceded Calhoun’s visit to Washington.