A United Airlines aircraft destined for Japan executed a secure descent in Los Angeles on Thursday after experiencing tire complications during its departure from San Francisco.

Visuals depict the aircraft shedding one of its six tires on the left-side primary landing gear moments after takeoff. The tire descended onto an employee parking area at San Francisco International Airport, colliding with an automobile, shattering its rear window, and subsequently breaching a perimeter fence before halting in an adjacent lot.

According to airport spokesperson Doug Yakel, no injuries were reported. Despite fire engines being on standby at Los Angeles International Airport, they were not required, as the Boeing 777 executed a routine descent, concluding approximately two-thirds down the runway. Dae Levine, another spokesperson for the airport, affirmed the aircraft’s safe landing.

Subsequently, the aircraft was towed away. United Airlines disclosed that Flight 35 accommodated 235 passengers and a crew of 14. The airline asserted that the 2002-manufactured aircraft was engineered to execute safe landings even with missing or impaired tires. Passengers are slated to transfer to an alternate aircraft for the remainder of the journey. Boeing 777s are equipped with six tires on each of the two primary landing gears. Footage capturing the departure of Flight 35 illustrates the moment one of the six tires on the left-side primary landing gear disengaged shortly after liftoff.

Aviation authorities conveyed that tire malfunctions are an infrequent phenomenon and do not signify broader safety concerns. Alan Price, a former chief pilot for Delta Air Lines, remarked, “In aviation, the avoidance of single points of failure is paramount, and this incident underscores that principle.” He added, “The remaining tires are fully equipped to bear the load.” Price emphasized that a detached tire is typically a maintenance issue rather than a flaw originating from the manufacturer.

John Cox, a retired pilot and professor specializing in aviation safety at the University of Southern California, concurred. “There’s no discernible repercussion for Boeing in this instance, as it was a maintenance team from United that addressed the tire replacement,” he stated. The Federal Aviation Administration will initiate an investigation, as confirmed by spokesman Tony Molinaro.