Background
More unwelcome news for Boeing as a United Airlines Boeing 757 flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Denver after damage was discovered on one of the plane’s wings. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident which happened on a San Francisco to Boston flight Monday.
Incident Details
United informed that the Boeing 757-200 jet, carrying 165 passengers, landed to “address an issue with the slat” on one of the wings. A slat is a movable panel on the edge of a plane’s wings, typically used during low-speed operations such as takeoff and landing.
Ongoing Investigations
The cause of the damage is not yet clear, and United, the FAA, and Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment early Wednesday. This incident adds to Boeing’s mounting problems this year.
Previous Challenges
The FAA launched an investigation into the manufacturing practices and production lines of Boeing last month following an incident where the door panel of a 737 MAX 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight. As a result, the regulator temporarily grounded the MAX 9 and halted Boeing’s planned production expansion of the MAX family.
Financial Impact
Boeing’s stock has fallen 22% in 2024, while its European rival Airbus is up 4% over the same period. Although the latest incident hasn’t impacted the stock early Wednesday, it remains a point of concern.