Wheel falls off British Airways jet during Las Vegas take-off

A British Airways aircraft lost a wheel moments after take-off from Las Vegas, in an incident captured on a live airport camera that has since drawn widespread attention online.

The footage shows Flight BA274, bound for London Heathrow, lifting off from Harry Reid International Airport when a wheel appears to detach from the aircraft and fall to the ground. The plane, an Airbus A350-1000, was seen continuing its climb despite the failure.

Aviation tracking service Flightradar24 later confirmed that the right rear wheel from the aircraft’s main landing gear separated shortly after departure. The moment was recorded on its automated live stream at the airport.

Despite the dramatic malfunction, the aircraft completed its journey and landed safely at Heathrow more than nine hours later. There were no reports of injuries among passengers or crew.

British Airways said safety remained its top priority and confirmed it was working closely with investigators. “Safety and security underpin everything we do, and we’re supporting the authorities with their investigations,” the airline told the BBC.

Harry Reid International Airport said it was aware of the incident involving the British Airways flight that departed for London earlier in the week. Airport officials confirmed the aircraft landed without further issues and that the detached tyre was recovered from the airfield.

The airport added that there was no damage to property and no injuries were reported on the ground.

The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed it has opened an investigation into the incident.