The company was already facing heightened scrutiny from travelers and regulators over incidents involving its aircraft.
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Choose your plan ArrowRight United Airlines said Flight 433, which carried 139 passengers and six crew members, was found to be missing an external panel Friday after the Boeing 737-800 parked at the gate at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Oregon.
It was not immediately clear how or when the plane, which departed San Francisco International Airport that morning, had lost the panel.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that the plane landed safely and that the missing panel was discovered during “a post landing airline inspection.” The FAA said it would investigate.
AdvertisementThere was no indication of damage during the flight, which landed at its scheduled destination, and no emergency was declared en route to the Medford airport, according to the airline.
There were no reports of injuries.
“We’ll conduct a thorough examination of the plane and perform all the needed repairs before it returns to service,” United said in a statement, adding that it would also conduct an investigation “to better understand how this damage occurred.”Airport Director Amber Judd said in an email that no debris was found on the airfield after the flight landed around noon and that a routine inspection revealed the missing panel.
Operations at the airport paused for a runway safety check and resumed a few minutes later, Judd said.
United Airlines flight with missing panel lands safely in Medfordhttps://t.co/l5Uk3aYnWE — KOBI-TV NBC5 News (@KOBITV) March 15, 2024Boeing referred questions about the flight to United Airlines.
AdvertisementBad news has plagued Boeing after a blowout on a 737 Max in January, when a door-plug fell off during an Alaska Airlines flight, leaving a gaping hole that terrified passengers in midair and caused an emergency landing.
Share this article ShareThe FAA launched an investigation into Boeing’s manufacturing after the door-plug failure.
An agency audit found the company needed to improve in a number of areas, and regulators gave it 90 days to draft a plan to fix any quality control issues.
The aerospace giant said in February that it had “a clear picture of what needs to be done” and is “totally committed to meeting this challenge.”Recent scrutiny has centered on the 737 Max, a widely used single-aisle airliner.
Two catastrophic crashes of 737 Max planes killed 346 people around five years ago.
The aircraft reported to be missing a panel in Friday’s incident was an older 737-800, not a 737 Max.
AdvertisementIn recent days, Boeing alerted airlines to a potential issue with loose switches on the pilot seats of its 787 Dreamliner jets after one of the planes went into a sudden dive, injuring 50 people, The Washington Post reported.
That flight from Australia continued to New Zealand.
The 787, a larger aircraft, is used mainly on long-distance international routes.
Officials stated that investigators are investigating the reason behind a Boeing aircraft’s missing external panel following a flight from San Francisco to Oregon. Due to incidents involving its aircraft, the company was already under increased scrutiny from regulators and travelers. Wp Have the complete encounter. Select your plan ArrowRight On Friday, after the Boeing 737-800 parked at the gate at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Oregon, United Airlines reported that Flight 433, which carried 139 passengers and six crew members, was discovered to be missing an external panel. The aircraft had taken off from San Francisco International Airport that morning, but it was not immediately apparent how or when the panel had been lost.
A “post landing airline inspection” found the missing panel, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which also stated that the aircraft landed safely. “It will look into it, the FAA said.
Promoting something.
The airline claims that no damage was visible during the flight, which touched down at its intended location, and that no emergency was reported while traveling to the Medford airport. No injuries were reported.
In a statement, United promised to “conduct a thorough examination of the plane and perform all the needed repairs before it returns to service” and to “better understand how this damage occurred” through an investigation. “.
The flight landed at noon, and upon routine inspection, airport director Amber Judd stated via email that no debris was discovered on the airfield, but the panel was missing. A safety inspection of the runway caused a pause in airport operations, which Judd said was followed by a brief restart.
KOBI-TV NBC5 News (@KOBITV) March 15, 2024: A United Airlines flight with a missing panel lands safely in Medford.
United Airlines was referred by Boeing with inquiries regarding the flight.
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After a 737 Max blowout in January that left a huge hole that startled passengers in midair and necessitated an emergency landing, a door plug came loose during an Alaska Airlines flight. This has been bad news for Boeing.
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Following the door-plug failure, the FAA opened a manufacturing investigation against Boeing. The company needed to make improvements in several areas, according to an agency audit, and regulators gave it ninety days to create a plan to address any quality control problems.
The massive aerospace company declared in February that it is “completely committed to meeting this challenge” and that it has “a clear picture of what needs to be done.”. “.
The 737 Max, a popular single-aisle aircraft, has been the subject of intense scrutiny recently. A little over five years ago, 346 people perished in two horrific 737 Max crashes.
It was an older 737-800, not a 737 Max, that was reported to have a missing panel in the incident on Friday.
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Following a sudden dive that left 50 people injured, Boeing recently notified airlines of a possible problem with loose switches on the pilot seats of its 787 Dreamliners, according to The Washington Post. The flight from Australia proceeded to New Zealand. The larger 787 is primarily utilized on lengthy international routes.
