A LATAM Airlines Airbus A319-132 was forced to land with a missing main wheel after it somehow detached from the aircraft after departing from Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The LATAM Airbus A319, registered PT-TMO, left Santos Dumont Airport for Congonhas Airport (CGH) on February 6, 2024, at 12.30 pm local time but as the aircraft approached Sao Paulo the flight crew reported an issue with its landing gear.
The decision was made to divert flight LA-3923 to Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), also in Sao Paulo, so a visual check of the landing gear could be carried out.
Feb. 6,#LATAM Airbus A319 (PT-TMO) flight #LA3923 from #RiodeJaneiro Dumont to #SaoPaulo Congonhas has been forced to divert to Sao Paulo Guarulhos int'l Airport after the pilots reported a gear problem during descent.
— FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) February 7, 2024
📷 ©Golf Oscar Romeohttps://t.co/tALiZ8bNHX#Airbus #A319 pic.twitter.com/5wdL0YhTdI
According to Aeroin, air traffic control and a team close to the runway confirmed that all the landing gear was correctly lowered, but that the inboard left main wheel was missing.
While emergency responders waited the Airbus was positioned for another approach and landed on runway 10L safely at 1:18 pm.
The missing wheel was later found on a breakwater close to Santos Dumont Airport.
LATAM Brasil A319 lands safely at Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport after one of the wheels of the left landing gear fell off.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) February 7, 2024
📹 GolfOscarRomeo pic.twitter.com/VSdxXfAX5y
“LATAM Brazil informs that the landing of flight LA3923 (Rio de Janeiro/Santos Dumont-São Paulo/Congonhas) this Tuesday (6/2) was diverted to Guarulhos airport for corrective maintenance of the aircraft. The company is offering all necessary assistance to passengers,” the airline said in a statement.