FlySafair Boeing 737’s Wheel Separates After Takeoff 

Another near-mid-air disaster involving a Boeing 737-8EH was narrowly averted. The incident occurred last weekend in South Africa as the narrow-body airliner traveling from Johannesburg to Cape Town lost a wheel and was forced to make an emergency landing. 

South African budget carrier FlySafair operated the 737. According to the aviation blog AirLive, one of the plane’s main gear wheels separated during takeoff from Johannesburg.

Following the wheel separation, the 737 descended from 22,000 feet and returned to the airport.

LIVE: #FlySafair flight FA212 lost a wheel on take-off from Johannesburg Int Airport (FAOR) for a flight to Cape TOWN (FACT).

Return to airport and landing now.#SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/mBM0UsXLIm

— Dean Wingrin (@deanwingrin) April 21, 2024

The pilots then performed a low pass inspection for air traffic controllers. 

Low level pass for inspection. Lots of emergency vehicles on the runway. pic.twitter.com/RRjTyybPN6

— Dean Wingrin (@deanwingrin) April 21, 2024

This revealed the left main gear was missing a wheel. 

Via internet pic.twitter.com/rS7C3HQ4a2

— Dean Wingrin (@deanwingrin) April 21, 2024

After that, pilots performed an emergency landing.

Video released by #FlySafair pic.twitter.com/95qClbvwBZ

— Dean Wingrin (@deanwingrin) April 21, 2024

Aviation authorities are currently investigating how the wheel separated from the landing gear. 

📹 A Flysafair Boeing 737 lost one of its left rear wheels on take-off from Johannesburg to Cape Town today. Flight FA212 took off at 11.32AM and landed back safely at 2.06PM after burning fuel which included low fly past over OR Tambo Int for emergency services to assess damage pic.twitter.com/5pny2SR3Mt

— ZimLive (@zimlive) April 21, 2024

Found it. 

Possibly the culprit pic.twitter.com/uXQrwP3bm4

— Dean Wingrin (@deanwingrin) April 21, 2024

The incident comes days after whistleblower Sam Salehpour’s testimony on Capitol Hill, in which he accused Boeing of “putting out defective airplanes.”

The 737’s wheel separation adds to a growing list of recent mid-air incidents involving Boeing jets, which include collapsed landing gear, detached door plugs, engine fires, external covers ripping off, and other cases of wheels coming off. This incident underscores the mounting confidence crisis surrounding Boeing jets.