Boeing 757 loses wheel before Delta flight takeoff, sparking FAA probe

A preliminary FAA report posted Monday said the nose wheel had rolled down a nearby hill. There were no injuries, according to the report.

Delta said a nose gear tire had come loose from the landing gear and passengers were transferred to a replacement aircraft. “We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” it said in a statement.

The aircraft returned to service the next day, a Delta spokesman said via email.

A Boeing spokesman said the company had nothing to add to the FAA statement and referred inquiries to Delta.

The incident comes amid intense scrutiny for Boeing and follows an accident earlier this month in which one its 737 Max 9s, operated by Alaska Airlines, lost a chunk of its body midair, leaving a gaping hole beside a row of seats and endangering passengers. There were no fatalities, but federal officials grounded 171 of the Max 9s for inspections.

Alaska Airlines has checked its fleet of 65 Boeing 737 Max 9s since the Jan. 5 accident and said it found loose bolts on many of those jets, according to Ben Minicucci, the carrier’s chief executive.