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A flight operated by United Airlines that was traveling from San Francisco to Boston had to change its route to land in Denver on Monday due to a passenger reporting that they had seen the wing showing signs of separation.
“I am currently preparing to touch down in Denver, but the wing of the plane is coming apart,” stated Kevin Clarke in a video obtained by CBS News. “I am eagerly anticipating the end of this flight.”
Images of the injured wing were also shared on Reddit. A user named @octopus_hug described their experience, stating that the noise upon reaching altitude was unusually loud while sitting on the wing. They also provided a photo displaying holes in the wing. The user expressed concern and asked if they should alert a member of the flight crew.
“I will feel a great sense of relief when we reach our destination,” they stated.
The user on Reddit reported that a fellow passenger notified the flight attendants about the issue. As a result, all the passengers were transferred to a different plane and arrived in Boston early on Tuesday morning.
The picture by Kevin Clarke depicts a United Airlines aircraft with a damaged wing.
A representative from United Airlines verified that a Boeing 757-200 aircraft carrying 165 passengers safely diverted to Denver on Monday due to a problem with the wing slat.
The spokesperson for United Airlines stated that Flight 354 was redirected to Denver on the afternoon of the previous day due to a problem with the wing’s slat. The flight arrived at its destination safely and alternate arrangements were made for passengers to continue their journey to Boston.
Boeing has faced investigation following an incident where a door panel came off during a flight for Alaska Airlines in January. This occurred on a 737 Max 9 aircraft, which is a different type of plane.
The aircraft successfully landed in Denver after being redirected.
Many individuals on the flight suffered injuries during the event, leading to the grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9s. This prompted investigations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board into both the aircraft manufacturer and Spirit AeroSystems, the company responsible for creating the doorplug.
Recent reports have indicated that the aircraft did not possess the necessary bolts to secure the doorplug upon its departure from the factory.
After the occurrence, both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, who collectively have 79 planes, also reported discovering loose bolts on some of their planes.
Earlier this month, the FAA promised to increase the number of individuals overseeing aircraft production and to ensure that Boeing is held responsible for any breaches of safety regulations.
Source: independent.co.uk
