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United Airlines, already under increased scrutiny by the FAA for maintenance issues, is investigating the loss of one of eight main gear wheels on one of its Boeing 757s. The incident occurred on Monday when the 30-year-old plane was taking off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Despite losing a wheel, the flight continued to Denver and landed without further complications.
Although the aircraft is designed to land safely with one wheel missing, cabin crew instructed passengers to brace during the landing in Denver. This incident follows a series of mishaps over recent months, including an event where a United 777 lost a main gear wheel during takeoff from San Francisco International Airport. These incidents have led the FAA to halt any expansion of routes by United pending a review of their maintenance practices.
United Airlines confirmed it is investigating the latest incident. "The wheel has been recovered in Los Angeles, and we are investigating what caused this event," the airline stated. The company did not comment on whether the wheel caused any damage on the ground.
