Ouch: United Airbus A321neo Has Wild Touchdown In Orlando, Loses Nostril Wheel
I don’t know what precisely occurred right here, however this doesn’t look good…
United’s tough touchdown results in Orlando floor cease
This incident occurred right now, Sunday, January 18, 2026, shortly after 12:30PM. It entails United Airways flight UA2323, working from Chicago (ORD) to Orlando (MCO) with a two-year-old Airbus A321neo with the license plate N14502.
The 2hr19min flight was routine till the touchdown, and I believe the video shared by JonNYC tells you every thing you could know.
The climate situations seemingly weren’t nice, and the airplane had a totally botched touchdown, which brought about one of many nostril wheels to separate from the plane.
Primarily based on the video footage, the touchdown initially appeared comparatively customary, with the left rear wheels touching down earlier than the precise rear wheels. Nevertheless, the airplane then bounced violently to the precise, because the left rear wheels went again into the air, after which the ahead wheels touched down. One of many ahead wheels finally simply separated from the plane, and the airplane got here to a cease on the runway.
This brought about the airport to have a floor cease, as all operations needed to be halted. Clearly it is a peak journey interval in Orlando, so it’s not the perfect time for one thing like this to occur. As you’d count on, the airplane was taken out of service, and gained’t be flying for fairly a while…
Unrelated, however is that this video being filmed by pilots of one other airplane, or ops employees in a automobile? It appears to me prefer it’s filmed from a flight deck — if that’s the case, a lot for not utilizing telephones for non-essential duties throughout essential phases of flight. Or I suppose on reflection, perhaps this did develop into “essential,” by way of proving helpful to investigators. Heh.
I’m wondering what precisely went mistaken right here
Winds have been gusty on the time of this incident, however that doesn’t totally clarify why one thing like this could occur. As talked about above, the touchdown doesn’t look that uncommon at first, however then a whole lot of weight is placed on the rear proper gear, after which the ahead gear touches down earlier than the rear left gear. So at that time, it’s not stunning {that a} wheel separated from the plane.
It’s type of the alternative of the 2024 incident United had, the place a Boeing 777 misplaced a wheel after taking off from San Francisco (SFO). In that case, it appeared to be extra of a upkeep subject, fairly than something to do with the flying of the plane, or the climate situations.
I’m curious to see how lengthy it takes United to restore this Airbus A321neo. Is it simply so simple as changing the wheel, or was there probably some structural injury?
Backside line
A United Airways Airbus A321neo had a mighty tough touchdown in Orlando, which brought about the airplane to lose a wheel. Whereas we all know it was windy on the time of the incident, that doesn’t totally clarify what occurred. Luckily nobody was harm and the airplane got here to a cease safely, however it did trigger a floor cease, resulting in operational points.
What do you make of this A321neo touchdown in Orlando?
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