Watch: Wheel falls off British Airways flight from LA, video goes viral as plane completes 5,000 miles to land safely in London

British Airways Flight Loses Wheel During Las Vegas Takeoff, Lands Safely in London

A British Airways long-haul flight made headlines this week after one of its landing-gear wheels detached during take-off from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, a dramatic moment later captured on video and widely shared online. The incident involved Flight BA274, an Airbus A350-1000 bound for London Heathrow.As the aircraft climbed away from the runway during gear retraction on the evening of January 26, 2026, the right rear main landing gear wheel suddenly came loose and fell to the ground near the airport.

Dramatic British Airways footage goes viral

Livestream and tracking footage shared by automated feeds such as FlightRadar24 showed sparks near the landing gear just as the plane lifted off. Moments later, the dislodged wheel could be seen dropping away from the aircraft, a rare and startling sight for observers watching the livestream. The video quickly spread on social media and aviation news sites, prompting a flood of reactions from aviation enthusiasts and general viewers alike. Many users shared the footage with astonishment, noting the unusual nature of seeing a major component detach mid-climb.

Unusual but safe: British Airways plane continues to London

Despite losing a wheel, the aircraft continued its trans-Atlantic journey without diversion, ultimately landing safely at Heathrow Airport after about nine hours and 17 minutes in the air. There were no injuries to passengers or crew, and no reported damage to airport property at the departure site.

Experts note that modern wide-body jets like the Airbus A350 are designed with multiple redundant systems, including several wheels on each main gear leg, allowing them to handle situations like a missing tire without immediate danger, provided other systems remain fully functional.

British Airways’ investigation and safety review underway

In response to the incident, British Airways stated that safety is its top priority and that it is working closely with aviation authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to investigate the cause of the wheel separation. The aircraft was taken out of service for detailed inspections and maintenance once it arrived in London.Officials will examine whether mechanical failure, maintenance issues or an undetected defect contributed to the wheel detachment. Such investigations are standard practice after structural or mechanical anomalies, particularly on long-haul flights where decisions about whether to continue or divert must balance safety, weather conditions and available airport facilities. Losing a wheel during take-off is highly unusual but not unprecedented in aviation. Wheels can detach due to factors such as defective parts, improper latching or substantial stress during retraction, though most modern aircraft designs include safeguards to prevent catastrophic failure. The fact that the aircraft was able to continue and land without incident reflects both aircraft resilience and high safety standards in aviation operations. Pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers routinely train for atypical equipment scenarios and have protocols to manage them.

From Las Vegas to London: British Airways’ close call that wasn’t

What could have been a serious safety issue turned into a testament to engineering design and operational discipline. A commercial jet flying a transatlantic route successfully landed after losing part of its landing gear moments after take-off. The dislodged wheel was recovered from the Las Vegas airfield, and no injuries or property damage were reported. Aviation authorities will now review the incident to ensure similar events remain extremely rare.Passengers and crew on board Flight BA274 likely had no idea of the drama unfolding outside, as the flight proceeded normally. It is a reminder that in commercial aviation, even unexpected mechanical anomalies can be handled safely when procedures and engineering work as they should. Go to Source