Another Boeing 757 loses a wheel just seconds after takeoff

United Airlines has spoken out after one of its Boeing 757 flights lost a wheel during takeoff from LA.

Yesterday (8 July), a United Airlines flight 1001 - a Boeing 757-200 plane - took off from Los Angeles in California, US at around 7:00am headed to Denver, Colorado. But during takeoff, it lost a landing-gear wheel.

The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers and seven members of airline crew.

One passenger has since spoken out about the incident.

Allen Stubblefield told CBS News the takeoff felt typical of any other flight, however, the pilot then addressed those on the plane through the PA system.

The pilot reportedly informed those on the aircraft the plane would have to perform an emergency landing upon reaching Denver, a flight attendant telling passengers to 'brace' three times when they reached their destination.

Stubblefield added: "It was not the smoothest landing and I didn't expect that. There was a bump, but that was it."

Thankfully, when the plane touched down at its destination around three hours later, it did so safely, with no one on board reported as having sustained any injuries.

A spokesperson for United Airlines told KTLA 5: "United Flight 1001 landed safely in Denver after losing one wheel on takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport.

"The wheel has been recovered in Los Angeles, and we are investigating what caused this event."

UNILAD has contacted United Airlines for further comment.

However, it's not the first time a Boeing 757 has lost a wheel.

In January earlier this year, a Boeing 757 passenger jet operated by Delta Air Lines lost a nose wheel as the plane was lining up for takeoff at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Production of Boeing 757 planes ended in 2004, a Boeing spokesperson confirmed to Reuters at the time.

And a United Airlines flight even lost a wheel earlier this year too.

United flight UA35 - a Boeing 777 - was caught on camera by YouTube channel CaliPlanes losing a wheel after it took off from San Francisco in March.

The video shows the heart-stopping moment the plane launches into the air, only for a wheel to pop off and soar to the ground seconds later - ending up landing in a parking lot, damaging several cars but fortunately no humans.

The plane was bound for Japan, however, it was forced to redirect and make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport, where it landed safely, with no one reported injured.

UNILAD has contacted Boeing for comment.