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3. Missing external panel incident
United Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane lands in Medford, Oregon with missing external panel after taking off from SFO
A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Oregon landed safely with a missing external panel, officials reported. Flight 433 departed SFO and landed at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport without incident. The missing panel was discovered during a post-flight inspection, located on the underside of the aircraft near the landing gear. The Boeing 737-800 had 139 passengers and six crew members onboard. United Airlines will conduct a thorough examination and repairs to determine the cause of the damage. Recent incidents have raised concerns about United Airlines’ fleet safety, including a tire falling off a plane at SFO. Stay updated on aviation news with ABC7.
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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A United Airlines flight that took off from San Francisco International Airport Friday morning landed in Oregon with a missing external panel, according to officials.
United Flight 433 left San Francisco at 10:20 a.m. and landed at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Medford shortly before noon, according to FlightAware. The airport’s director, Amber Judd, said the plane landed safely without incident and the external panel was discovered missing during a post-flight inspection.
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The panel found to be missing was on the underside of the aircraft where the wing meets the body and just next to the landing gear, United said.
According to KOBI-TV, crews searched Medford airport property but didn’t find any evidence of the missing panel.
The Boeing 737-800 plane had 139 passengers and six crew members onboard.
United says it will “thoroughly examine the plane and perform repairs and conduct an investigation to know how the damage occurred.”
Boeing said, also via email, that it would defer comment to United about the carrier’s fleet and operations. Its message included a link to information about the airplane that was involved, and it was said to be more than 25 years old.
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Incidents have plagued the United Airlines in the past few weeks including several involving planes taking off from SFO.
Most notably United Flight 35 where a tire fell off a Boeing 777 during takeoff. The plane was diverted to LAX where it landed safely.
In January a panel that plugged a space left for an extra emergency door blew off a Max 9 jet in midair just minutes after an Alaska Airlines flight took off from Portland, leaving a gaping hole and forcing pilots to make an emergency landing. There were no serious injuries.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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Related Story.
United Airlines Boeing 737-800 Plane Lands in Medford, Oregon with Missing External Panel After Taking Off from SFO
A United Airlines flight experienced a minor hiccup during its journey from San Francisco International Airport to Oregon. Flight 433, a Boeing 737-800, took off from SFO at 10:20 a.m. and safely landed at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Medford shortly before noon. However, during a routine post-flight inspection, airline officials discovered that an external panel on the underside of the aircraft was missing. Despite the missing panel, the plane landed without incident, and all 139 passengers and six crew members onboard were unharmed.
The incident, while concerning, did not pose any immediate danger to the passengers or crew. The missing panel was located near the wing-body junction and next to the landing gear, an area that is not critical to the aircraft’s structural integrity. United Airlines has stated that they will thoroughly examine the plane, perform necessary repairs, and conduct a detailed investigation to determine how the damage occurred.
According to KOBI-TV, crews conducted a thorough search of the Medford airport property but did not find any evidence of the missing panel. This raises questions about when and where the panel may have detached from the aircraft. Boeing, the manufacturer of the 737-800 plane, deferred comment to United Airlines regarding the incident, citing the aircraft’s age of over 25 years.
This incident adds to a string of recent mishaps involving United Airlines flights departing from SFO. Just weeks prior, United Flight 35 experienced a similar issue when a tire fell off a Boeing 777 during takeoff, resulting in the plane being diverted to LAX for a safe landing. In another incident in January, an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland had a panel blow off midair shortly after takeoff, leading to an emergency landing. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported in either incident.
United Airlines is no stranger to handling unexpected challenges, and their commitment to passenger safety remains unwavering. The airline’s prompt response to the missing panel incident demonstrates their dedication to ensuring the well-being of all passengers and crew members. As investigations continue into the cause of the panel detachment, United Airlines will take all necessary steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In conclusion, while the missing external panel may have caused a moment of concern, the safe landing of Flight 433 in Medford highlights the professionalism and expertise of the flight crew. Passengers can rest assured that United Airlines is taking proactive measures to address the issue and maintain the highest standards of safety and security. For more information on this incident and other aviation news, visit the official KGO-TV website.
