United Airlines Boeing found with missing panel after flight

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United Airlines planes, including a Boeing 737 MAX 9 model, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (File photo)

Associated Press

A post-flight inspection revealed a missing panel on a Boeing 737-800 that had just arrived at its destination in southern Oregon on Friday after taking off from San Francisco, officials said. This is the latest incident in a series involving planes manufactured by the American company.

United Flight 433 departed San Francisco, California at 10:20 a.m. and landed at Rogue Valley-Medford International Airport in Medford, in Oregon shortly before noon, according to FlightAware.

Airport Director Amber Judd said the x27;plane had landed safely, without incident, and the disappearance of the external panel had been discovered during a post-flight inspection.

The airport suspended operations to check the runway and airfield for debris, Judd said, but none were found. ;was found.

She added that she believed the United ground crew or pilots conducting an inspection of routine before the next flight were those who noticed the missing sign.

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A United Airlines spokesperson clarified by email that the flight was carrying 139 passengers and six crew members and that no emergency had been declared because there was no indication damage during flight.

After the plane was parked at the gate, it was found that an external panel was missing. We will conduct a thorough examination of the aircraft and make any necessary repairs before returning it to service. We will also investigate to better understand how this damage occurred.

A quote from A United Airlines spokesperson

The sign missing was located under the plane, where the wing meets the body, and just next to the landing gear, United said.

Boeing said, also by email, that it would provide feedback to United on the carrier's fleet and operations. His post included a link to information about the plane involved, which is believed to be more than 25 years old.

In January, a panel that filled a gap left for an additional emergency door was thrown off a mid-flight Max 9 plane just minutes after an Alaska Airlines flight took off from Portland, leaving a gaping hole and forcing pilots to make an emergency landing. There were no serious injuries.

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An inspector from the US Transportation Safety Agency observes the panel torn off the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. (File photo)

The door stopper was eventually found in the courtyard of a high school physics teacher from southwest Portland, with other debris from the flight scattered nearby. The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation.

On March 6, smoke detected in the cabin of a Boeing 737-800 from Alaska Airlines flying to Phoenix forced pilots to return to Portland Airport.

The airport said that the passengers and crew had noticed the smoke and that the plane had landed safely. Seven people, including passengers and crew members, requested medical evaluations, but no one was hospitalized, authorities said.