The nose wheel of a Delta Airlines Boeing 757 came off just as the plane was preparing for take-off on 20 January. The aircraft was able to leave the runway without further damage or any injuries to passengers or crew.
Around 11:15 am local time, Delta flight 982 was preparing for take-off at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, intending to head to El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Columbia, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) explained in a statement. Going onto the runway, the plane behind the B757 radioed air traffic control (ATC) to inform them that the nose tire of the Delta 982 “just rolled off the runway”.
The VASAviation youtube channel posted the conversation between ATC and the pilots of the two planes. “Hey, tower, the 75 on the runway just lost the nose tire”, the pilot of the second plane is heard. Before ATC responds, the pilot of flight 982 thanks him then addresses ATC “it sounds like we got a problem”.
Delta 982, this is the aircraft looking at you, one of your nose tires just came off, it just rolled off the runway behind you.
Pilot on Delta flight 1783
The pilot of flight 1783 had to give two more warnings before ATC and flight 982 decided to tow the Boeing 757 off the runway. “The passengers deplaned and were bused to the terminal”, FAA said. “All customers and their bags were removed from the aircraft, transferred to the gate and onto a replacement aircraft”, Delta said in a statement.
Boeing declined to comment on the incident and instead referred to the airline. The nose wheel rolling down the runway comes at a time when aircraft manufacturer is being investigated by the FAA to determine “if Boeing failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in compliance with FAA regulations” after a plug-in door blew out mid-flight.
