Footage has emerged showing the shocking moment a Boeing 747 Dreamlifter, owned by the Boeing Company, lost one of its main wheels during departure in Italy.
The incident took place on October 11, 2022, at around 9,15 a.m. (UTC), when the Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter, operated by Atlas Air, was taking off from Taranto Airport (TAR).
According to Flightradar24.com, the Dreamlifter, registered N718BA, was performing flight 5Y-4231 to Charleston International Airport (CHS), in the US.
Shortly after departure, one of the Dreamlifter’s main wheels shot quickly off the plane. But the flight crew continued the climbing phase.
The incident was captured on video by a witness. The footage shows dense smoke billowing from the main gear section just seconds after the plane took off. The wheel was later found outside the confines of the airport in a nearby vineyard.
Fortunately, the plane landed at CHS airport at 2.28 p.m. (UTC) with no further incidents reported.