(Portland) – A post-flight inspection revealed a missing panel on a Boeing 737-800 that had just arrived at its destination in southern Oregon on Friday after taking off from San Francisco, officials said. This is the latest accident in a series of aircraft manufactured by the American company.
United Flight 433 departed San Francisco, California, at 10:20 a.m. and landed at Rogue Valley-Medford International Airport, in Medford, Oregon, just before noon, according to FlightAware.
Airport Director Amber Goode said that the plane landed safely without any incident, and that the missing external panel was discovered during a post-flight inspection.
The woman said that the airport stopped its operations to inspect the runway and airport for any debris.I exist, but none were found.
She added that she believes United's ground crew or pilots conducting a routine check before the next flight were the ones who noticed the missing tag.
A United Airlines spokesperson explained via email that the flight was carrying 139 passengers and six crew members and that no emergency had been declared because there was no indication of damage during the flight.
A United spokesman explained: “After the plane was parked at the gate, it was discovered that the external panel was missing.” We will conduct a thorough inspection of the aircraft and make any necessary repairs before returning it to service. We will also conduct an investigation to better understand how this damage occurred. »
United said the missing panel was on the underside of the plane, where the wing meets the fuselage, and right next to the landing gear.
Boeing, also via email, said it would provide feedback to United about the carrier's fleet and operations. His post included a link to information about the plane in question, which is believed to be more than 25 years old.
In January, a panel filling a gap left for an extra emergency door from a Max 9 exploded mid-flight just minutes after an Alaska Airlines flight took off from Portland, leaving a gaping hole and forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing. . There were no serious injuries.
The door stop was eventually found in the backyard of a high school physics teacher in Southwest Portland, with other debris from the theft scattered nearby. The Ministry of Justice opened a criminal investigation.
On March 6, smoke was detected in the cabin of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 bound for Phoenix, forcing the pilots to return to Portland Airport.
The airport said that passengers and crew noticed smoke and the plane landed safely. Seven people, including passengers and crew members, requested medical evaluations, but none of them were taken to hospital, authorities said.
