A British Airways aircraft travelling from Las Vegas to London Heathrow Airport lost one of its landing-gear wheels shortly after take-off but continued the long-haul journey and landed safely, aviation authorities have confirmed.
The Airbus A350 aircraft was departing Harry Reid International Airport when the wheel detached during take-off and fell onto the runway area. Airport officials later recovered the wheel and said no injuries or damage to airport infrastructure were reported.
Despite the mechanical incident, the flight proceeded across the Atlantic and touched down at Heathrow Airport without further complications. All passengers and crew arrived safely.
Aviation experts note that wide-body aircraft such as the A350 are designed with multiple wheels on each main landing gear, meaning the loss of a single wheel does not automatically endanger flight safety. Standard procedures allow pilots to continue to a suitable destination where maintenance and inspections can be carried out.
Dindo of Kasawo: The Rocky Landmark Steeped in Myth and Tradition
British Airways said the aircraft would be withdrawn from service for checks and repairs, in line with safety regulations. Investigations are expected to focus on maintenance records and the circumstances under which the wheel became detached.
The incident comes amid heightened global scrutiny of aircraft safety, though regulators stress that such occurrences remain rare and that modern aircraft are built with multiple layers of redundancy to protect passengers.
also read: Lake Mburo: A Quiet Jewel in Uganda’s Conservation Landscape
