Cockpit audio reveals chilling moment pilots realize Boeing 757 has lost its nose tire on Atlanta runway
Cockpit footage reveals the chaotic moment pilots flying a Delta Air Lines Boeing 747 from Atlanta lost its noseband during takeoff.
The plane was scheduled to depart Saturday from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Bogota, Colombia, when the nose gear came loose.
Delta Air Lines’ Boeing 757 nosegear incident is the latest in a series of terrifying incidents involving Boeing planes that have led to criticism from multiple airlines and a date with members of Congress for CEO Dave Calhoun.
The audio begins with the message: “One of your nosebands has come off. He just rolled off the runway behind you.”
The Delta pilot replied, “Thanks for that… looks like we have a problem, looks like we’ll try to taxi away if possible.”
Cockpit footage reveals the chaotic scene when a Delta Air Lines plane flying from Atlanta lost its nose band while trying to take off Saturday
Federal officials spent days searching for the lost parts of the plane to aid in their investigation. Authorities also ordered similar planes to be grounded while they investigated.
“The 75 on the runway just lost the noseband,” the dispatch added.
“Yes, we saw that tire rolling south off the runway. It looks like it went off the runway, probably down there,” the other pilot said.
According to the FAA, the nose gear came loose and rolled down the hill, as it did while queuing and waiting to take off.
Delta Flight 982 – bound for Bogota, Colombia – was taxiing for departure at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when the incident occurred around 11:15 a.m. Saturday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the incident.
The plane is 32 years old and is not the same model as the 737 Max that has caused safety problems in recent years.
“All customers and their bags were removed from the aircraft, transferred to the gate and placed on a replacement aircraft,” Delta said. ‘We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.’
When contacted by AP on Wednesday, Boeing provided no further comment. The Arlington, Virginia-based aircraft manufacturer ended production of the 757 nearly two decades ago.
A Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 flying from Atlanta lost its nose band while trying to take off on Saturday
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 plane narrowly avoided disaster earlier this month when a door plug blew off
There have been a series of accidents involving Boeing aircraft in recent years, but it is unclear who is responsible for the latest incident. Delta is responsible for the maintenance of its aircraft.
It comes after an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 plane narrowly avoided disaster earlier this month when a door plug blew off.
Max 9s have been grounded since the Jan. 5 incident, when a jet taking off from Portland, Oregon en route to California was forced to make a harrowing emergency landing when the door plug blew out at 16,000 feet.
Federal officials spent days searching for the lost parts of the plane to aid in their investigation. Authorities also ordered similar planes to be grounded while they investigated.
Industry observers are looking for concrete signs that Boeing’s problems with the MAX 9 and the legacy of previous MAX safety concerns are undermining support for the larger MAX 10, which makes up more than a fifth of outstanding MAX orders.
Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci told NBC News that inspections after the incident found “some loose bolts on many” Boeing 737 MAX 9s.
‘I am beyond frustrated and disappointed. I’m angry,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci told NBC Nightly News in an interview that aired Tuesday night.
“My question to Boeing is: What are they going to do to improve their quality programs internally?”
The FAA has grounded most of Boeing’s MAX 9 jets for checks after a plug replacing an unused exit door tore off an Alaska Airlines plane on Jan. 5, forcing an emergency landing
Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said Tuesday that an internal inspection of the Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet conducted after the incident found “many” of the planes had loose bolts.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby warned that Boeing needs ‘real action’ to restore its reputation after dozens of its fleet were grounded following an incident on board an Alaska Airlines flight
Earlier Tuesday, United Airlines on Tuesday cast doubt on future orders and deliveries of Boeing 737s in the wake of the near-disaster, which left no people dead or seriously injured.
Scott Kirby said he is “disappointed” by Boeing’s ongoing production problems.
He added that the airline will consider alternatives to purchasing a future, larger version.
Kirby’s comments came a day after United announced it expects to lose between $116 million and $262 million in the first three months of this year as a result of the retirement of 79 of its Boeing 737 Max 9 planes by federal regulators.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will meet with U.S. senators this week to answer questions about the grounding of the 737 MAX 9, while executives from longtime customer United Airlines raised questions about billions of dollars in orders for MAX 10 jets.
Calhoun will hold meetings on Capitol Hill starting Wednesday. He will meet with Senators Ted Cruz, a Republican, and Mark Warner, a Democrat, including after the mid-air explosion of a cabin panel on a new Alaska Airlines plane, sources told Reuters. Boeing declined to comment.
Calhoun will also meet with Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of the Commerce Committee. Last week, she said she plans to hold a hearing after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded 171 MAX 9 planes.