Boeing 787 Turns Back After Part of Wing Falls Off Mid-Flight

A United Airlines Boeing 787-9 was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport shortly after takeoff when passengers and crew reported unusual vibrations, later found to be caused by a section of the wing breaking away mid-flight.

The aircraft had departed from Newark on Aug. 3, bound for Cape Town, South Africa. Around 40 minutes into the transatlantic journey, passengers reportedly heard a loud vibration. The captain informed those on board that the aircraft had lost part of a wing—specifically a section of the rear spoiler. As a safety measure, the crew dumped fuel before executing a high-speed landing back at Newark.

The aircraft remained grounded for 37 hours before reentering regular service on Aug. 6. The Boeing 787 involved in the incident is relatively new, having been in service for under five years. It had also experienced a separate mechanical issue in early July, which required a return to Newark after a fault in the electronic cooling system on a flight to Delhi.

This latest event is the third recent mechanical problem involving United Airlines’ 787 fleet. Just days earlier, another 787 experienced an engine failure shortly after takeoff from Washington Dulles on a flight to Munich, prompting another unscheduled return.

United Airlines confirmed in a statement that the affected flights were rerouted to address technical issues and that alternative arrangements were made to accommodate passengers.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to review the incidents as scrutiny intensifies over aircraft reliability.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, DailyBeast.com