British Airways Flight Sheds a Wheel During Takeoff on Route to London

It was supposed to be an ordinary transatlantic journey — yet an unexpected incident on the runway quickly turned it into a moment that unsettled people far beyond the airport.

Newly released video captures the instant a British Airways jet lost a rear wheel during takeoff, triggering alarm as the aircraft lifted off from Las Vegas on the night of Monday, January 26, heading skyward despite the mechanical failure.

The aircraft, reported to be an Airbus A350-1000, was leaving Harry Reid International Airport at approximately 9:10 p.m. local time on its journey to London when the situation suddenly became alarming.

In footage that has since gone viral, the plane — operating as British Airways flight BA274 — is seen accelerating down the runway before an unidentified object breaks away from the underside of the aircraft moments after liftoff.

Moments later, the object — later identified as one of the aircraft’s main landing gear wheels — can be seen plunging rapidly toward the ground. The detached wheel came down within airport grounds, and officials confirmed that no injuries or damage to property were reported.

Remarkably, the plane continued its transatlantic flight without any additional problems, landing at London Heathrow 27 minutes earlier than scheduled, according to data from flightradar24. British Airways responded to the incident in a statement, saying, “Safety and security underpins everything we do and we’re supporting the authorities with their investigations.”

Harry Reid International Airport also acknowledged the situation, stating, “We are aware of an incident involving a British Airways aircraft that departed LAS last night and continued on to London, where it landed safely without further incident.”

The wheel was recovered from the airport grounds, and the National Transportation Safety Board has been informed as inquiries into the incident remain ongoing.