China News Service, March 16. According to ABC News, on the 15th local time, U.S. officials said that a United Airlines flight taking off from San Francisco International Airport landed at an Oregon airport and was subsequently seized. It was discovered that a body panel was missing.
According to reports, the plane involved was United Airlines Flight 433, a Boeing 737-800, with 139 passengers and 6 crew members on board.
The plane took off from San Francisco International Airport at approximately 10:20 that morning and landed at Medford International Airport in Oregon at 11:36.
Image source: Screenshot of ABC News report
Medford International Airport Director Amber Judd said the plane landed safely without incident, but a subsequent inspection revealed a missing fuselage panel.
United said the missing fuselage panel was located on the lower side of the plane where the wing meets the fuselage, next to the landing gear.
Crews reportedly searched Medford International Airport but did not find the missing fuselage panels.
United said it would "thoroughly inspect the aircraft involved and perform repairs as part of an investigation to understand how the damage occurred."
Since 2024, Boeing has been involved in aviation safety crises many times.
In January, part of the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft burst, injuring several people on board.
In March, a number of accidents occurred on a United Airlines Boeing aircraft, including engine fires, tires falling off, and skidding off the runway.
Recently, a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 airliner flying from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand, experienced a technical problem and made a sudden descent during the flight. It made a "violent dive" for several seconds, causing passengers to hit the roof of the cabin. At least 50 people were injured.