The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently probing an incident involving a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 that lost an external panel before it safely landed in Oregon on Friday.
The plane, United Flight 433, touched down at Medford Airport at approximately 1:45 p.m. PDT, after leaving San Francisco with 139 passengers and six crew members on board, as reported by the FAA and the airline.
An inspection conducted by the airline after landing uncovered that the aircraft, which is 25 years old, was missing a panel.
Despite the loss, United Airlines stated that there was no emergency declared during the flight since the damage went unnoticed.
The airline has pledged to conduct a comprehensive investigation and repair the plane before it is returned to service.
“We’ll conduct a thorough examination of the plane and perform all the needed repairs before it returns to service,” United’s statement affirmed.
Boeing has deferred comments on the incident to United Airlines.
The aircraft, constructed in late 1998 according to FAA records, has sparked discussions, especially after a photo showing the missing panel was published by the Rogue Valley Times.
The incident briefly disrupted traffic at the airport as efforts were made to locate the missing panel.
This occurrence comes amid growing scrutiny of U.S. aviation incidents, highlighted by a recent emergency involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, where a door plug blew out mid-air.
The FAA and other regulatory bodies have been closely examining Boeing, especially after the Alaska Airlines episode on January 5, leading to investigations into the company’s safety practices and quality standards.
The past week has seen other incidents involving United Airlines-operated Boeing aircraft, including a 737 MAX veering off the runway in Houston and a 777-200 losing a tire after departure from San Francisco, both of which concluded without casualties.
Additionally, a United Boeing 737 experienced engine issues after ingesting plastic bubble wrap on takeoff from Houston on March 4, resulting in visible flames, as captured in social media posts.
These series of events underscore the heightened attention on aviation safety and the rigorous investigations underway.