Medford, OR – Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Oregon had a scare on Friday when a United Airlines aircraft lost an external panel during its flight. The incident was discovered upon the plane’s safe landing, according to airport officials. Flight 433, which had departed from San Francisco, completed its journey to Oregon without any signs of trouble or emergency. The missing panel was only noticed once the aircraft arrived at the gate, prompting a temporary halt in airport operations. Airport director Amber Judd confirmed that a safety check of the runway was carried out. Despite efforts to locate the panel within the airport grounds, no debris was found, leading to the resumption of normal airport operations.
United Airlines has announced plans for a comprehensive examination of the 25-year-old aircraft. The airline is committed to conducting all necessary repairs before returning the plane to service. Additionally, an investigation will be launched to determine the cause of the damage. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will also be conducting its own investigation into the incident. Boeing, however, declined to comment.
This incident adds to a string of recent issues involving Boeing aircraft. Last week, an American Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing in Los Angeles due to a potential mechanical issue with a Boeing aircraft. Another United Airlines flight from Sydney to San Francisco had to turn back mid-flight because of a fuel leak in a Boeing 777-300 plane.
In response to these incidents, Boeing has informed its employees that it will be implementing weekly compliance checks and additional equipment audits to minimize quality issues.