A Boeing 737 panel went missing on a United Airlines flight to Oregon, The National reports.
After a United Airlines flight landed safely in Oregon, the Boeing 737-800 was discovered to be missing part of its outer skin. The 25-year-old plane was flying from San Francisco to Medford with 139 passengers and 6 crew members on board. The incident did not result in injuries, according to the airline and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
A United Airlines spokesman said the missing panel was discovered after the plane arrived at the terminal. The airline intends to conduct a full investigation and repair the damage before returning the aircraft to service.
Boeing declined to comment, referring questions to United Airlines. Airport Director Amber Judd suggested that the missing panel was noticed by airport employees or pilots during a pre-flight inspection.
The FAA confirmed it has opened an investigation into the incident involving the aircraft, built in late 1998 and operated by United Airlines since November 30, 2011. The incident has brought renewed attention to air safety in the US, especially following an incident on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 in which a door panel fell off mid-flight.