United Airlines plane loses tire after taking off from SFO

Written by KTVU staff

SAN FRANCISCO, (FOX-35)- A tire fell off of a United Airlines plane moments after it took off from SFO on Thursday.

United Airlines Flight 35 was redirected to Los Angeles International Airport and landed safely, the airline said. 

"The aircraft is designed to land safely with missing or damaged tires," United said in a statement to KTVU.

The tire could be seen in a parking lot near San Francisco International Airport. Police cars were nearby. 

The plane, carrying 249 people, had been bound for Osaka, Japan.

The Boeing 777-200 aircraft has six tires on each of its two main landing gear struts, United said.

Footage of the wheel dropping from the plane was recorded in a YouTube video shared by Cali Planes.

Damage to parked cars is believed to have been caused by the tire.