Topline
A Boeing 757 jet operated by Delta Airlines lost its nose wheel just as it was preparing to take off from Atlanta over the weekend with 184 passengers on board, according to a Federal Aviation Administration incident report, in another incident involving a Boeing plane as the aircraft maker reels from the fallout of an Alaska Airlines door plug blowing out earlier this month.
FILE PHOTO: A Delta Airlines Boeing 757 was forced to abandon take off on Saturday after its nose … [+] wheel fell off.
Key Facts
According to the FAA’s report, Delta Airlines Flight 982 was lining up for take-off when its “nose wheel came off and rolled down the hill.”
The incident occurred Saturday at Atlanta’s Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport on a plane scheduled to fly to Bogotá, Colombia.
All 184 passengers and six crew members on board the plane were unharmed and were “deplaned and…bused to the terminal,” according to the FAA.
Citing a Delta spokesperson, the Washington Post reported that the plane’s passengers were transferred to a “replacement aircraft” and the affected plane returned to service the next day.
Forbes has contacted both Boeing and Delta for comment.
Key Background
While the cause of the Delta Airlines incident is unknown and it doesn’t appear to have majorly hindered operations, it comes at a time when Boeing faces intense scrutiny. Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was forced to make an emergency landing in Portland after its door plug blew off shortly after take off. The plane managed to land safely, with all 171 passengers and six crew members on board mostly unharmed. After the incident, the FAA ordered all 737 Max 9 jets in the country to be grounded until any potential issues with the door plug are resolved. The agency also said it has opened a wider investigation into Boeing for failing to ensure the safety of the Max 9 planes. Last week, a Boeing 747 cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Miami as one of its engines caught fire after takeoff.
Tangent
On Tuesday, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the company is considering dropping plans to acquire a fleet of Boeing 737 Max 10 due to production delays and the recent grounding of the Max 9 fleet. The decision isn’t final and Kirby said United was not abandoning Boeing as a partner, but “disappointed” with Boeing’s “consistent manufacturing challenges.”
Big Number
19.5%. That is how much Boeing stock has declined since the start of the year, largely driven by the grounding of its 737 Max 9 fleet following the Alaska Airlines incident. The company’s stock is down a further 1.14% in premarket trading early on Tuesday.
Further Reading
Boeing 757 loses wheel before Delta flight takeoff, sparking FAA probe (Washington Post)
