Earlier this week, a Scoot Boeing 787 Dreamliner landed in Taipei with a missing nose landing gear wheel.
In another incident, a Brussels Airlines A320 lost one of its wheels while taxiing in Lithuania.
Scoot Boeing 787 Lands in Taipei With a Missing Nose Gear Wheel
On 19th June 2023, a Scoot Boeing 787 Dreamliner landed in Taipei with a missing nose landing gear wheel.
The Boeing 787-9, with registration 9V-OJF, was performing flight TR897 from Seoul to Taipei with over 300 passengers onboard. However, while descending to Taipei, the aircraft lost the left-hand nose wheels from the nose gear.
According to local sources, the tire pressure level had been detected as abnormal before the flight’s descent. Upon landing, it was discovered that the left nose wheel was absent, and there were indications of wear on the axle.
Despite losing one of the nose wheels, flight TR897 landed safely on Taipei’s runway 23L and taxied to the apron without any further incident. Furthermore, an airline spokesman said that a technical fault was detected upon landing in Taipei on Monday
Victor Lee, the General Manager of Scoot Taiwan, stated that Scoot had made the decision to dispatch another aircraft to Taiwan and further details would be provided at a later time.
“The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority, and we will continue to provide assistance to affected customers where necessary.”
Scoot Spokesperson
The specific location where the wheel went missing remains uncertain. Taoyuan International Airport reported that no traces of the wheel were found on the runway or taxiway. There is a possibility that the missing wheel and tire could be in the South China Sea.
Brussels Airlines A320 Loses Left Inner Main Gear
On 21st June 2023, operations at Vilnius Airport were temporarily suspended after a Brussels Airlines A320 lost its main gear tire right before line-up with the runway.
The Airbus A320 with registration OO-SNI was scheduled to depart as flight SN2372 from Vilnius to Brussels. However, while it was taxiing for takeoff, the aircraft lost one of its left inner main gear tires right before the line-up.
Following the incident, operations at Vilnius Airport were temporarily suspended, as the aircraft blocked the entrance to the runway. Flight operations resumed after the aircraft was removed from the taxiway.
According to the airport officials, the incident affected 24 flights. Five flights were diverted to Kaunas Airport, and one to Riga. Alongside, nine flights were canceled, including 4 arrivals and 5 departures. LOT Polish Airlines, unable to land at Vilnius airport, decided to return the plane to Warsaw.
One of the passengers explained, “The wheel fell off. An explosion was heard, and tires were scattered to the edges.”
By the time the plane’s tire burst, the passengers were already in their seats. Following the incident, passengers disembarked the aircraft and were brought to the terminal.
Feature Image via @aviationbrk