Over the weekend, a Boeing 757 passenger jet operated by Delta Air Lines experienced a nose wheel malfunction during takeoff preparations at Atlanta’s international airport, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, was not immediately available for comment during non-business hours.
The incident with the nose gear occurred on Saturday, raising concerns amid ongoing federal scrutiny of Boeing following a mid-air fuselage panel blowout in an 8-week-old Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet flown by Alaska Airlines. Although the blowout caused no serious injuries, the FAA grounded 171 MAX 9s after the January 5 incident.
In response to the heightened scrutiny, the FAA recommended inspections of door plugs on Boeing 737-900ER jets to ensure proper security. Some carriers reported loose hardware during inspections of grounded MAX 9 planes.
A preliminary FAA notice filed on Monday regarding the 757 nose gear detachment stated that none of the 184 passengers or six crew members aboard were injured. The incident occurred as the aircraft was lining up for takeoff, and the “nose wheel came off and rolled down the hill.”
The affected plane was scheduled for a flight to Bogota, Colombia. A Delta spokesperson confirmed that passengers were accommodated on a replacement flight. The New York Times first reported the incident on Tuesday.
