UA35 - Tire Falls Off During Takeoff

On 7 March 2024 United Airlines flight 35 departed San Francisco International Airport (SFO) bound for Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka, Japan. The Boeing 777‑200 accelerated down runway 28L and lifted off at 11:35 a.m. Pacific Time. Seconds after liftoff a main landing gear tire separated from the left bogie and tumbled to the ground, landing in an airport employee parking lot where it damaged an unoccupied car. Flight crew were unaware of the tire loss until air traffic controllers informed them. The pilots declared an emergency and held over the Pacific Ocean to burn fuel before diverting to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The aircraft landed safely at approximately 1:30 p.m. and taxied to the gate under its own power. There were 235 passengers, ten flight attendants and four pilots on board; none were injured. The Federal Aviation Administration and United Airlines launched an investigation into the cause of the wheel assembly failure.