The right rear wheel of a British Airways A350-1000 detached while retracting shortly after takeoff from Las Vegas on flight BA274 to Heathrow. Flightradar video captured sparks from the right-hand main gear and the wheel’s separation. The aircraft continued to London and landed safely after more than nine hours in the air; no injuries were reported. The episode adds to scrutiny of Airbus amid inspections for a supplier panel issue and recent global groundings for urgent software updates.
British Airways A350-1000 Loses Wheel During Las Vegas Takeoff — Flight Lands Safely
The moment the wheel (circled) was separated from the aeroplane during take-off
A British Airways A350-1000 lost a right rear wheel while retracting its landing gear shortly after taking off from Las Vegas on Monday night. Flight BA274 was bound for London Heathrow and continued across the Atlantic, completing a safe and uneventful landing in London after more than nine hours in the air, according to Flightradar.
What Happened
Video footage and the automated live stream from Flightradar captured sparks from the right-hand main landing gear as the Airbus accelerated and lifted off from McCarran International Airport. Moments later, the right rear wheel separated from the gear and fell beneath the departure path.
British Airways: "No one was injured either on board the aircraft or on the ground in Las Vegas."
Despite the missing wheel, the crew elected to continue to London, where the aircraft landed without further incident. Aviation authorities and the airline are examining the circumstances surrounding the wheel separation.
Broader Context
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Airbus after the manufacturer announced inspections of up to 600 aircraft following a supplier quality issue affecting metal panels. Airbus said some panels were either too thick or too thin, although it emphasised the defect did not present an immediate flight-safety risk; 168 of the affected jets were already in service.
Days earlier, more than 6,000 Airbus aircraft were briefly grounded worldwide for emergency software updates after a vulnerability in flight-control computers — potentially triggered by intense solar radiation — was linked to a sudden loss of altitude on a US–Mexico flight that injured 15 passengers. The grounding contributed to widespread cancellations and a fall in Airbus shares of more than 6.5%.
Next Steps
Investigations by airline engineers and aviation regulators are expected to determine why the wheel separated and whether maintenance, manufacturing, or other factors were involved. British Airways and Airbus have not yet released detailed technical findings.
Flightradar and other flight trackers shared video of the event. Authorities will publish investigation results in due course.
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