(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. It is the latest incident in a series involving planes 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, shortly before noon, according to FlightAware.
Airport director Amber Judd said the plane landed safely without incident and that the missing external panel was discovered during a post-flight inspection.
The airport suspended operations to check the runway and airfield for debris, Ms.me Judd, but none were found.
She added that she believed the ground crew or United pilots performing a routine inspection before the next flight were the ones who noticed the missing sign.
A United Airlines spokesperson clarified by email that the flight carried 139 passengers and six crew members and that no emergency had been declared because there was no indication of damage during the flight.
“After the plane was parked at the gate, it was discovered that an external panel was missing,” the United spokesperson explained. We will conduct a thorough examination 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. »
The missing panel was on the underside of the plane, where the wing meets the body, and right next to the landing gear, United said.
Boeing said, also via email, that it would provide feedback to United on the carrier’s fleet and operations. His post included a link to information about the plane involved, which is believed to be more than 25 years old.
In January, a panel that filled a gap left for an additional emergency door was blown off a Max 9 plane in mid-flight just minutes after an Alaska Airlines flight took off from Portland, leaving a gaping hole and forcing pilots to make an emergency landing. There were no serious injuries.
The door stopper was eventually found in the backyard of a high school physics teacher in southwest Portland, with other debris from the theft scattered nearby. The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation.
On March 6, smoke detected in the cabin of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 bound for Phoenix forced the pilots to return to the Portland airport.
The airport said passengers and crew noticed the smoke and the plane landed safely. Seven people, including passengers and crew members, requested medical evaluations, but no one was hospitalized, authorities said.