United Airlines Faces String of Mechanical Issues, Including Missing Panel on Flight 433

United Airlines has recently faced a series of mechanical issues with its aircraft, raising concerns about the safety and maintenance of its fleet.

Latest Incident: Missing External Panel

On Friday 15 March, a United Airlines flight 433 departed from San Francisco International Airport and landed at Rogue Valley International/Medford Airport in Oregon. Upon landing, it was discovered that the aircraft was missing an external panel. The Boeing 737-800, carrying 139 passengers and six crew members, did not declare an emergency during the flight as there was no indication of the damage. United Airlines released a statement assuring that a thorough examination and all necessary repairs will be conducted before the aircraft returns to service. An investigation into the cause of the damage is also underway.

Previous Incidents

This latest incident comes in the wake of several other mechanical problems with United Airlines aircraft:

• On Thursday, flight 1816 experienced a hydraulic leak before landing at San Francisco International Airport.
• In early March, a Japan-bound flight was diverted to Los Angeles after a wheel fell off during takeoff.
• On the same day, a plane in Houston rolled off a runway during landing, leading to the evacuation of passengers.
• Another flight to Mexico City was diverted to Los Angeles due to a hydraulics issue.
• Furthermore, a flight from Sydney to San Francisco had to turn around midflight after fluid was seen spewing from the right rear landing gear.

Investigation and Safety Concerns

All of these incidents are currently under investigation, prompting aviation experts to scrutinize the safety and maintenance practices of United Airlines. There are also growing concerns about the potential connection of these issues to the operations at San Francisco International Airport.