Boeing Aircraft Experiences Steering Failure Mid-Air During Spain-to-England Flight
A Boeing aircraft flying from Spain to England faced a critical situation on Friday when it experienced a steering failure mid-flight as it approached Manchester Airport. The Jet2 flight LS810, a Boeing 757-23N, encountered a hydraulic fluid leak, prompting the crew to declare an emergency and take urgent action.
The flight, which had departed from Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport at 13:49 local time, was scheduled to land in Manchester around 15:30. However, as the aircraft neared its destination, the pilots issued a “squawking 7700” emergency code. This code is used to indicate a serious distress or urgency situation, signaling that immediate assistance might be required, according to FlightRadar24.
The issue, reported by the aircraft-tracking account @FlightEmergency on X, involved the plane losing hydraulic fluid and experiencing a loss of steering control. The aircraft was seen performing a holding pattern southeast of Manchester, a maneuver where the plane circles to delay its descent as it waits for clearance from air traffic control.
Despite the steering problem, the Boeing 757-23N successfully landed at Manchester Airport, where it was met by emergency services, including fire trucks. The plane, manufactured by Boeing at its Renton, Washington facility, is approximately 27.7 years old, as noted by the aircraft database Planespotters.net.
Manchester Airport confirmed awareness of a technical issue with the aircraft but could not verify the specific details of the steering failure or hydraulic fluid leak. The airport reported that the plane landed safely and was being towed back to the terminal. They also noted that there were no disruptions to other arrivals or departures as a result of this incident.
Jet2 has not yet provided a comment in response to inquiries by phone and email.
This incident is one of several involving Boeing aircraft this week. On Monday, a United Airlines Boeing 757-200 lost a landing gear wheel while taking off from Los Angeles International Airport. The aircraft managed to land safely at Denver International Airport, with no reported injuries, although the wheel landed on a car in the LAX employee parking lot.
Boeing has faced ongoing scrutiny regarding its aircraft production practices and safety culture. The company has been criticized following a series of safety issues, including a January incident where a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 mid-flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has since reported numerous safety concerns raised by Boeing employees.
Additionally, Boeing recently agreed to plead guilty to one count of criminal fraud for misleading federal regulators during the approval process of the 737 MAX. This aircraft was involved in the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that resulted in the deaths of 346 people.
As investigations continue, Boeing’s commitment to addressing these safety concerns remains under close examination, with implications for the broader aviation industry.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, newsweek.com