The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a United Airlines flight that lost a tire while taking off from San Francisco International Airport, damaging several cars in a parking lot before the plane safely landed at Los Angeles International Airport. The incident occurred around 11:35 a.m. Thursday as United Airlines Flight 35 departed for Osaka, Japan. The Boeing 777-200 lost a portion of its landing gear tire, causing the tire debris to land in an employee parking lot at the airport, resulting in damage to several cars. Thankfully, there were no reports of injuries.

The flight, which initially carried 235 customers, 10 flight attendants, and four pilots for a total of 249 people on board, was diverted to Los Angeles where it landed safely around 1:20 p.m. United Airlines quickly arranged for a new aircraft to take the passengers to Osaka later that evening. The airline expressed gratitude to the pilots, flight attendants, and ground teams for their professionalism in managing the situation.

The San Francisco International Airport's runway was briefly closed to clear debris but has since reopened, with no further impact on airport operations. The Boeing 777-200 is designed to land safely with missing or damaged tires, according to United Airlines. The airline will work with affected customers and vehicle owners at San Francisco International Airport to address their needs.

Aviation experts reassured that planes losing tires is a rare occurrence and not indicative of a larger safety issue. The Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into the incident. United Airlines confirmed that the loose tire was a maintenance issue, and not a problem created by the manufacturer. The passengers on the flight will be moved to another plane for the remainder of their trip to Japan.