Boeing 757 Loses a Wheel During Take-off from ATL Airport
Panic ensued at Atlanta Airport when a Boeing 757 lost a wheel during take-off. According to the FAA, 185 passengers onboard were evacuated immediately and taken to another aircraft. According to recent reports, the incident is under investigation by the FAA and further details will likely be revealed later. The incident fuels concerns over the safety of Boeing further after a Boeing 737 Max 9 Alaska Airlines plane lost one of its doors during flight. As a result, the FAA grounded the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft and opened an investigation into the matter.
As per Reuters, this particular aircraft was acquired in 1992, making it approximately 32 years old. Reuters also states that civil aircraft usually have an economic life span of 20 to 25 years, but they can be operated beyond this timeframe under specific circumstances. Reports reveal that FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker pledged that the agency would conduct thorough inspections of Boeing's planes until its confidence is fully reinstated, emphasizing a commitment to having personnel physically present for oversight.
The flight was given a go ahead for take-off at ATL Airport and was enroute Bogota, Colombia. The airline apologized to customers for the inconvenience. The incident is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Authority and cancelled hundred of Alaska Airlines flights after it grounded Boeing 737 Max 9s for inspection.
