The terrifying moment a wheel fell of a Boeing 737 fully loaded with passengers was caught on video, adding to a long list of incidents.
The footage showed the plane grinding along the runway after being forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff.
Airport safety staff at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa noticed the FlySafair aircraft had damaged its undercarriage on takeoff.
The airline said the plane made a low pass over the airport so technical teams could view the landing gear.
Upon inspection, engineers found one of four rear wheels had been clipped during takeoff.
However, the footage of the landing shows the wheel disintegrating as the plane tried to taxi down the runway.
Watch
NEW: Boeing 737 wheel falls off forcing an emergency landing shortly after take off in South Africa
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) April 23, 2024
This just happened a week after whistleblower Sam Salehpour accused the company of playing 'Russian roulette' with people's lives during his testimony before Congress
They found… pic.twitter.com/r92b2WVyiC
The Sun reported:
Following the scare, Kirby Gordon, the Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair, said: “After takeoff, ground staff at OR Tambo reported witnessing what appeared to be damage to one of the aircraft’s back wheels.
“The crew were alerted to the observation and the decision was taken to return to Johannesburg.”
The aircraft then entered a holding pattern to burn off fuel for a safer landing.
Below is a recent timeline of Boeing incidents:
April 2018- Woman dies after being partially sucked out of window on Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 flight
October 2018 – Boeing 737 MAX 8 Indonesia Lion Air fatal crash leaves 189 dead
March 2019 – Boeing 737 MAX 8 Ethiopia Airlines fatal crash leaves 157 dead
January 2024 – Boeing 747 Delta Airlines plane loses front tyre
January 2024 – Boeing Alaska Airlines ripped window leaving gaping hole in the plane
March 2024 – Wheel falls off Boeing 777 United Airlines plane smashing cars below
March 2024 – Boeing 787 LATAM LA800 took a “sudden nose-dive” leaving 50 injured
April 2024- Boeing 737 engine cover ripped off mid-air
April 2024 – Wheel falls off and smoke billows from Boeing 737 FlySafair FA212 in South Africa
Gordon explained this is a standard procedure when there is no urgency to land as it is safer to land with a lighter fuel load.
“Modern Boeing 737 aircraft do not have the facility to dump fuel,” he said.
“The aircraft passed overhead at approximately 13:20, and observers confirmed that one of the four rear wheels had come adrift during the takeoff roll.
“The wheel affected was one of the two attached to the left rear landing strut.
Gordon added:
“Response vehicles were activated to greet the plane as a precautionary measure.
“After landing, the aircraft was inspected by safety and engineering teams on the runway before the plane was brought back to the terminal.”
Regional General Manager Jabulani Khambule said:
“We would like to praise the FlySafair pilots and crew for their professional handling of this emergency.
“Their training and experience ensured that all passengers on board the plane walked away unscathed.”
Last week, Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour issued a warning about a potential air disaster that could cost hundreds of lives if quality issues are not resolved at the aviation giant.
In an explosive testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s investigations subcommittee, Salehpour said Boeing’s disregard for concerns raised by employees endangers passengers’ and crews’ lives.
Salehpour also highlighted the faults with over 1,000 Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets currently in use, which could lead to premature fatigue failure.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) asked Salehpour whether or not Boeing planes are safe, to which he replied that it is only a matter of time until a catastrophic aviation disaster.
“It’s like an earthquake. The big earthquake is coming, and when that hits, the building has to be prepared to accommodate that kind of—let’s say—shake-up,” Salehpour said.
“It has to be built properly,” the Boeing engineer added.
Salehpour continued:
“Right now, from what I’ve seen, the airplanes are not being built per spec and per requirement.”
